Originally posted at Vampire Book Club 
 With words God created worlds. From those words also sprung light and dark, plants and trees, animals and people: two sons and two daughters. Each child received her own word. The Spinner could spin things into gold. The Changer could change into any animal of earth or air. The Healer could heal illnesses and injuries. The Teller could tell what was to come. As the children grew and had children of their own their specific words changed and morphed into variations upon the original, and both good and bad traits were discovered among the Gifted. And as these magnificent powers manifested in some and not all, those without started to feel threatened. So the Gifted were, at first, banished, and then actively sought out and destroyed to the point where anyone with a gift went into hiding. 
 At a young age, Lark began to exhibit the talents of a Teller. When her mother tries to hide the untrained talent her young daughter is showing, she is killed by the King of Jeru. Before she dies, she binds Lark's words leaving her unable to speak. 
 Flash-forward about fifteen years and Lark is now a grown woman. The previous King is dead, his son now sits on the throne, and Jeru is in upheaval, being attacked by mysterious flying creatures known as the Volgar. Lark's father is next in line for the crown, so King Tiras decides to take Lark as insurance of his co-operation. What Tiras discovers, however, is that Lark possesses a power that might be far more useful to him than keeping a Lord in line. And Lark sees an opportunity to get away from the confines of her father's household. But how much freedom can you have when you trade one cage for another? 
 The Sword and the Bird has been on my to-be-read list for quite some time. I figured with the publication of book 2 The Queen and the Cure it was time for me to finally get around to reading this. It's one of those books that I wish I had read sooner, but kinda happy I waited because now I can move right on to the next book. 
 I loved the world and the world-building. The idea surrounding The Sword and the Bird, and I think this will vary as each book focuses on a different Gift, is simply words. Amy Harmon did a wonderful job of showing the duality/interpretation of phrase. Even the title will take on new meaning as you weave yourself through this tale. The fact that Tiras needs Lark takes on different meaning as we progress through the story. How the intention behind what we speak has just as great importance as what is being spoken. I loved the subtle way in which Lark's power, unable to have an auditory outlet, ends up manifesting itself as she grows older and stronger. 
 The progression, both in regards to the relationship between Tiras and Lark and Lark's powers, was something I felt was spot on. However, the overarching storyline took a bit too long to develop for me and made me feel a lot of repetitiveness in the rest of the storyline while we were waiting for the denouement, which didn't present any earth-shattering surprises. Instead it was the exploration of Lark's world and her new discoveries about herself that really drove the story forward. 
 If you've been looking for a book or series to fill the void left by C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series, The Bird and the Sword is definitely a worthy replacement.