Well written and gritty to the extreme, Blackbirds is one of the darkest books I've ever read. Its protagonist, Miriam Black, can tell how people will die with a single touch, so she ingratiates herself into the lives of those whose time is near so she can rob them. 
 She's had a tough life, and her story is full of drug dealers, transients, long-haul truckers, and con men. It kind of reminded me of Aileen Wuornos' life, at least the set up (minus the supernatural aspect of course) and that made for a challenging read. It's life from the "wrong side of the tracks," an intensely realistic portrayal of living on the streets and surviving with only your wits. 
 Miriam is an interesting, unique character, but I can't say I loved or even liked her. Hanging out with her was like peering into the abyss, and sometimes I needed happy-book breaks. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time--I certainly won't ever forget it. Wendig is a writer who provokes that kind of thought, and he does it well.