I really had trouble taking this book seriously. The worldbuilding and characters just... weren't well through through. And I kept confusing it with other "crow" fantasy books -- not sure why that's a thing in YA fantasy right now.

I'm starting to think that crows, not as a species but as a YA trope, peaked at Six of Crows?

To be fair, you really can't do much better than Six of Crows. But that's just my totally biased opinion.

So, on to the review!

This book was ok.

It seems that lately all the books I read are ok and nothing more. Not unique or particularly interesting or even all that memorable. I'll probably forget most of this by the end of this year and probably won't even remember I read it by the time the sequel comes out.

The issue with this book is that it's one we've all read before. It has the same tropes and characters and elemental magic and world-building, only this time its more vague than usual and there are crows involved.

Seriously, what is world-building? This book clearly doesn't know. I wanted to know what the world looked like, how it worked, why it worked the way it did. I feel like I didn't get any of it and it made that made harder for me to truly get into the book.

I also really didn't love the characters. They seemed...generic. 

Anthia, the main character is suffering from depression. It was nice to see something like that being put in a YA fantasy as we only ever see things like depression being talked about in sad YA contemporaries. Still, that didn't get her a pass for being an extremely naive and kinda bland character.

Ericen and Caylus and Kiva were also pretty meh. I had no attachment to any of them. I didn't for any attachment to anything in the book if I'm honest.

There were instalove and love triangles and tragic backstories I didn't care about and a bunch of other things that are far too overused in YA at this point for me to be invested.

In the end, I just feel like I've read this before and I wasn't impressed with reading it again. Like it didn't bring anything new or interesting or worth the time I took to read it. That said, this isn't a horrible book. It just wasn't a particularly good one.

One thing this book did was good a lot of diversity. But, diversity does not a great book make.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at 44%. At that mark, I felt like nothing had happened except for shopping. The world felt papery thin and confusing and I was preoccupied with questions I had about the crows from the very start. To be fair, these questions could have been answered by the end of the book, but I just didn't care enough to find out. The author tried to insert some depression representation, but as a person who has suffered this mental illness for most of my life, it felt unauthentic. The character seemingly "snapped" out of it, suddenly ready to face all of the trials that she had to face. Once again, this is something that could have changed by the end of the book. The plot felt confusing and didn't seem to know what it wanted to do. Was the fiance a bad guy? Was he not? The justification for her marrying him in the first place didn't seem very solid to me. Why did the other kingdom even want a princess that as far as they knew, had nothing special about them anyway now that the crows were dead? I don't plan on returning to this one.

An evocative and unrelenting take on mental health in a lush fantasy setting. The characters are powerful yet flawed, the magic system is compelling (crows with elemental magic hello???), and the plot is dark and twisty and wonderfully composed. Hard to believe this is a debut, and look forward to future work from this author.

The story was unique and in my opinion it has a lot of potential, but I have some issues. The world building and the magic system are not very well explained and some of the choices of the main characters were really bad.
In general, I think it was a strong debut to a new series!!

4.5 Stars

'The Storm Crow' is the first book in an exciting new YA fantasy series that fans will definitely want to pick up. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, so I kept an open mind and let myself be carried away. I'm so glad to say that it was much better than I hoped. There were so many fantastic aspects of the story. I loved the main character, Thia, and getting to know her throughout the book was great. She suffers a ton of pain and loss at the beginning of the story, but she finally regains her passion and tenacity and will stop at nothing to fix the wrong that has been done to her country and its people. Thia is a very complex and realistic character that I immediately connected with and I loved watching her change and grow during the novel. The story is told in the first person point of view, with Thia as the narrator. I loved this for two reasons: first because it's by far my favorite writing style and it allows me to fall into the character's world so much easier, and second because we get to really know the narrator on a deeply personal level. Both of these things allowed me to really understand and empathize with Thia and I was definitely rooting for her.

The plot wasn't wholly original - especially the warring countries and the horrible prince that the main character is forced to be with - but the author definitely puts her own mark on it. I absolutely loved the crows and the magic aspect of the book. I couldn't learn enough about them and what they did, how they had riders, and the magic that they used to help their country and people thrive. It was a really fascinating aspect to the story that I haven't seen before and it was a perfect fit with the rest of the plot. I'm glad that this is just the first book of the series because I definitely want to see what will come next. Highly recommended for fans of YA, fantasy, paranormal, and action/adventure.

*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

2.75/5

This book is about a kingdom that has been destroyed almost beyond repair, and that Kingdom sends one of its princesses off to marry the son of the Queen who destroyed their Kingdom in the first place, as a sort of truce.

Let me preface this review by saying, I was really interested in the synopsis of this book. And i also very much enjoyed the beginning of the book. I thought it started off really well, and liked it a lot.

Unfortunately, the book went downhill pretty fast, and by halfway through i was frustrated by the lack of world building, any kind of character development, and the plot, which to me felt pretty recycled and bland YA that I'd seen a million times before.

I held out hope, I was really wishing that it would do something amazing, and I'd be completely turned around, but this didn't happen. The further the book went the more frustrated I was with the stupid decisions of the characters, in particular the main character. She jumped to conclusions, made rash decisions that made zero sense based on what she knew about what was going on in the world and where she was.

The magic system was poorly explained, and more frustrating, was when i got to the end of the book, there were pages and pages of explanation on the world and the crows, so I know that the author thought it all through, but barely any of it was actually in the story, by the time I was done the book, i didn't care, and i also was annoyed that it wasn't included when it could have been.

Overall, this book had a good start, but that didn't last. It was boring, slow, poorly explained, and predictable. I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book more, because when i started it I really had high hopes because of the strong start.

This book was absolutely amazing! I loved the writing, the characters and this magical world of Elemental Crows. This book kept me on the edge of my seat as Thia tried to save her people from being taken over by Illucia’s soldiers and hatch the only remaining crow egg in existence. Thia was such a brave character but she had to deal with the pain of losing everything before she was willing to fight for what was right. Brilliant story and I can’t wait to read book number two.

I loved the concept of this world - with the magical system of the crows. The story was really captivating and had a sweet romance. Tackling depression in a fantasy setting was also something that I haven’t seen before and really appreciated - although I wish it had been more deeply written about.

Unique worldbuilding and a well-crafted magic system. I loved the main character's fierce determination to take charge of her own destiny. A really interesting fantasy book.

The Storm Crow follows Thia, a Princess from Rhodaire, as she deals with the aftermath of her country being overtaken by a neighboring kingdom hell-bent on domination. She is thrown into statesmanship she is unprepared for while also trying to save her countries source of magic in the form of giant crows. And look at that cover.
I am so ready for the next (and final) book in this series. I am in grave need for more crow based badassery.
There were a lot of wonderful things about this novel, and it breaks the mold of many YA fantasies with how it handles the Prince from a corrupt Kingdom meets our heroine.
I really loved our main character, Thia, she was such a wonderful guide through this fantastic (in both senses of the word) world. She has a massive trauma at the beginning of the book and is left physically and emotionally scarred by it. Thia's depression is handled deftly and without a magical "wow the fog of awfulness has lifted, turns out all I needed was love" type resolution. I love her journey of recognizing her own strength. Clearly, I was enamored.
I loved her sister, Caliza, I want more Caliza. Also, I want to meet her man. Seems like they might be cute together.
Ericen, the aforementioned Prince, was interesting. I intellectually appreciated the choice to not have him be the love interest, but also I liked him much more than the love interest? I am a sucker for a 'good rising out of darkness' type. Though I will admit I am not sure that is exactly what is here. Maybe it's just that he tried to impress a girl with baked goods.
Kiva! I cannot believe Kiva has come to my mind so far down the list. Kiva is Thia's best friend and bodyguard, and heir relationship is so wonderfully entwined into the story. A lot of times books will mention a best friend but she will sort of fade away as romance or plot happen to the main character. But Josephson does not commit that sin, she very much has Kiva be integral to the plot and the emotional journey. Also, I was way more interested in her romantic journey. Auma is a badass mysterious lady and I deeply hope she makes an appearance in book two.
Caylus, the love interest, is very David from the Grishaverse. I like David, I am totally fine with Caylus. He does have a totally different backstory to David, so maybe that comparison is a bit reductionist. I like him fine. And I like that he is a part of Josephson writing a story where the main character does not all in love with the first new boy who walks on the page.
I liked the diversity of this book. Peoples sexualities are not treated as a spectacle, they are an accepted part of peoples lives, and non-straight characters are talked about normally. I understand the importance of stories where LGBTQ characters are overcoming societies dismissal or torment, but it is also lovely to have a story where it is just normal. Also, not everyone is white! In fact, most of the main cast are not white! Congratulations on making a multicultural fantasy where everyone isn't white, please remind other authors they have this option.
The world-building was amazing. I want to go to visit Rodaire. I want to see a crow. If someone wants to movie/tv show this book (and the do it wonderfully) I am so ready to see this world. I really felt like the world around Thia breathed.
I didn't love some of the foreshadowing stuff. I thought the solution to hatching the egg was immediately obvious, and even more so when they did the test with iron. It is always annoying when you guess the solution so far ahead of when you should (in my opinion you should know TOPS ten pages before the main character unless there are extenuating circumstances). I also thought the big reveal at the end was not that big a reveal. It was awesome, but not surprising. I am very interested in what will happen with it in the next book. But I was pretty sure it was coming.
Again, I am tremendously interested in book two! I am glad duologies are around again and I am ready to be blown away by book two.

my expectations I do not know or have been disappointed.
I loved the worldbuilding and the friendship.
engaging and well written story

This book is pure magic. From the unexpected and abrupt events of the prologue to the leave-you-wanting-more timing of the ending, The Storm Crow dips, dives and dances through a beautifully constructed fantasy world where not all is as it seems. Elements of war, love, mental health, friendship and loyalty are woven together with mythical crows to create an unexpected coming of age story that leaves you breathless. Anthia will grab you with her raw honesty and strength - her struggles with depression, loyalty, power and devotion lend her a realness that rings true every time.

There were several aspects of this book that I really loved. The story itself, which was relatively simple and timeless - girl is forced to marry boy from conquering kingdom, doesn't really want to so she tries to figure out a creative way out of it - feels fresh in this setting. The strong female characters feel natural in their roles as queens, warriors, leaders of rebel armies and spies; at no point are they relying on a man to save them or even advise them. Every single important role in this book is filled by a woman and yet it never feels contrived or out of place. Relationships and love interests are presented with similar ease and authenticity; some of the characters, both male and female, like girls and some like boys. Lines like "She'd been flirting with a girl at Rua's for weeks now." and "First, Shearen has a boyfriend. Second, he deserved it." blend easily, making who someone loves less important than the love itself. The only change I would have liked to see in this regard was a kingdom led by a same-gender
couple, as all of the powerful people are heterosexual. Finally, the way that depression is introduced and treated feels so very real, both from Anthia's perspective and from the perspective of those who are trying to support her. It is not something you would typically see in a fantasy book but it is another piece of the puzzle that makes this fantasy shine.

Despite the title, the elemental crows play little more than a supporting role in this book. That being said, they are plot drivers (appearing at nearly every pivotal moment in the book) and important to understanding the interplay between the kingdoms and Rhodaire (Anthia's kingdom) in particular.

In the end this is a story about a princess finding her strength and power, with a little bit of love, intrigue and war thrown in for good measure. Who doesn't love that?

To be one with the air and the furious sound of the wind swirling around you.



Elemental lore that binds you to the magical lure of the sky.


This is what it means to uphold the ethos of the kingdom of Rhodaire.



Until the day that the Kingdom of Illucia reduces Rhodaire in a whirl of smoke and fire.



The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson was a solid debut that carried the spirit of contemporary works such as Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. Josephson created a magical system that centers around these majestic elemental crows who possess great power such as being able to control the weather. After experiencing the freedom of flying astride these fantastic creatures alongside Princess Anthia, their early destruction carries out a particularly crushing blow. After the kingdom is reduced to a shadow of its former glory, Anthia's sister, Caliza, begrudgingly marries Anthia off to a neighboring kingdom in an effort to carry out her duty as queen and secure stability of Rhodaire.



While some elements of the plot lead to foreseeable outcomes, The Storm Crow has various plot twists that engaged my curiosity through to the end. I particularly loved the representation that Josephson incorporated through Anthia. Because of her harrowing experiences, Anthia undergoes through depression and PTSD and struggles with her mental health throughout the book. Works like The Storm Crow open a positive dialogue about mental health through characters such as Anthia. Her resilience and raw emotion allows readers to connect with her journey and eagerly anticipate the oncoming eye of the storm that will continue in the sequel!

I gotta say,  I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick and magical read that pulled at my heartstrings. I loved the magic system in this universe and had a fun time exploring the story. The only reason I didn't give this book a perfect 5/5 stars is because it isn't anything new for the YA fantasy genre. It follows predictable tropes about rebellion and romance that don't offer anything unique. It's an entertaining story that I had a great time devouring, BUT it is important to note that despite being well written it didn't break out of the YA fantasy mold.

The writing in this book is beautiful. It strikes the perfect balance for me. It's easy to read, fast paced, but has beautiful descriptions and is easy to fall into it. The world building was well structured and I also loved the last few pages in the back that gave more information about the crows! The magic system in this world is detailed but written and described PERFECTLY. I really wish I could disappear into this world and fly on a crow, Josephson made it sound amazing.

ALSO, can we talk about these characters? They were such a well developed group. I love Thia. I love her character development and how her grief is written. She's raw, witty, and so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. I wanted to reach into this book and give her so many hugs. I can't wait to follow her and everyone else into the second book. This cast of characters has so much room left to grow that I'm getting more excited every time I think of what to come. I could start spitting my predictions out now and it would last for HOURSSSS. I adore the side characters and cannot wait to see more of their backstories.

I seriously enjoyed this book. It's a lovely YA fantasy full of magic, deception, and soft characters. It was well written and gripping. If you're a fan of YA fantasy you'll enjoy exploring this magical world full of crows.

I found this story excellent, it was well organised and there was a lot of action and plot twists. I loved all the different characters as they all had different personalities. At times I really didn’t like some of the characters especially the prince of Illucia because he was so stuck up and really annoying, so I understood how Thia felt about him. But then when you discovered more of the background of certain characters you understood why they were like that. I also liked how that there was lesbian romance within the book. There seems to be a lot more of it in young adult books now, I appreciate how they are finally becoming accepting of what other people like and how they feel towards people.

3 Stars.
This book had a unique concept in terms of using crows and magic. I enjoyed reading the books and loved the characters, especially the mc sidekick. It was a good book but it didn’t give me that wow factor, I’m extremely grateful for being provided with a copy and can’t wait to read the next one!

This book had everything for me to love it: magic crows, a heroine who wants to kick some butts... I really enjoyed it, but some lengths in the story and a detail that bothered me made it a 3-stars read for me. I'll still read the second book of the series, because what I missed more in this book, the action, will be in the second one for sure!

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First let me start off by saying that I absolutely love the concept of this story. Huge crows that have magic....yes please! My rating of 3.5 stars is in no way a bad rating. I really enjoyed the book except for the interaction between Thia and Caylus. I, personally, just don't like them as a couple and found myself racing through their portions of the story because I just didn't care about them together. I felt their interactions were boring. When I got through about 60% of the book that's when it started getting interesting and stuff started happening. I absolutely adored her time with Ericen. I am so in love with his character even though he does have some flaws when it comes to his absurd loyalty to his mother but hopefully that will change in the second book!

Things I loved:
-the friendships and love between characters
-the magic of this world
-crows

Things I didn't love:
-repetitive writing style (snarled, smirked, mist, over and over)
-the villain comes off as a sadistic maniac rather than a nuanced character
-the oddly casual behavior of the royals

Overall, I'm interested enough to read the next book in the series, but this definitely feels like less nuanced YA. I feel like this could just be because this is the author's first book and her writing will improve with each sequel. I enjoyed it, but there's a lot about this series I don't love that lies mainly with the author's style rather than the story itself.