I made it 10% into this before I DNFed it. My personal philosophy is if a book doesn’t click with me, I DNF. I don’t want to waste my time on a book that isn’t for me. In terms of this book, I read reviews to fill in my knowledge of the rest of the book and I’m disapppointed.

Firstly, this book was marketed as similar to a high, epic fantasy of Tolkienesque proportions. The Storm Crow is a generic YA fantasy that lacks in world building. Almost nothing was explained within the first section. What do the crows look like other than giant crows? Does each variety have distinct physical characteristics? What does the city/kingdom look like or the rookery? There’s no description for anything so I don’t know where we are or what’s going on.

The main character was interesting in how she reacted to having depression/PTSD, but it also felt one dimensional. The story is set up very cliche with an obvious romance—why is that necessary for every YA fantasy?

I can see this being for people who like YA or low fantasy, but for myself and those who enjoy high fantasy and detailed world building so we actually know what’s going on, this book is a waste of time.

After reading this, I was trying to come up with some comp titles—Game of Thrones? A Court of Thorns and Roses? Uprooted? Stain? All of the above!

I love fantasy, and the deeper the author gets into world building the more I find myself tumbling down into their rabbit hole. Josephson did such a great job crafting a massive world with their own beliefs as well as political intrigue. There is so much going on in this story but it all ties together wonderfully.

Anthia, our MC, grows by leaps and bounds and is truly a strong female lead. Typically I can't stand female leads [don't throw stones! It's just how I am] but I truly enjoyed reading Anthia's story, and seeing how she managed with the hand she was dealt.

The supporting characters were wonderful, too, they're all vastly different from one another and while there is romance in the story it takes the back seat to the most important thing—the warring kingdoms.

There is a big cliffhanger at the end which made me want the second installment today and it pains me to know I have to wait! I need answers!

All in all, a great read and I would give it 4 savvy crowns!

This high-flying fantasy (pun intended ;)) will have you wishing you had a magical crow of your own—I know I do! Having a MC with depression in an action-oriented book is not at all easy to pull off and still make seem realistic, but Josephson made Thia’s actions (and lack of action) feel real and nuanced. For me, the story really took off (;D) after Thia arrived in Illucia, and I really enjoyed seeing the differences between Illucia and Thia’s native Rhodaire. Usually, the country with magic is the most interesting, but the fact that all the other countries surrounding Rhodaire had to function without the magic of the crows makes for a fascinating juxtaposition and made me even more interested to see the other countries that seem poised to make an appearance in the next book. Josephson handles the reasoning behind what the Illucians do to Rhodaire with sensitivity (reminding one that things are rarely black and white when it comes to conflicts with long histories) and though the reader has no doubt who is evil by the end of the book, it’s the characters in that grey area in between good and evil who the reader is left thinking about. SPOILER: AHEM, Ericen! END SPOILER. I can’t wait to see how Josephson finishes this captivating duology!!

This book was so good! I loved it and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. I kind of want to wait for the cover reveal of the second (is it a duology? I'm not sure) to decide if I'm going to pre-order this bad boy to be on my shelves...

Anyway, back to the story! I was compelled from the very beginning. I didn't really have any expectations when I started this book. I just knew it sounded cool and I wanted to read it. The concept about the crows is really interesting and unique.

I thought the representation (mental health / depression) was well written. I was apprehensive at one time when it felt like the beginning of a love triangle but the romance is really light in this book so that was fine.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to YA Fantasy lovers who'd like to read a story in a world with a unique twist. <3

Thank you to the publisher who let me read and review an e-ARC through Netgalley.

What a fantastic ride! This concept of giant crows and human reaction was beautiful. I loved the descriptions of riding! The romance felt a little lackluster but I really enjoyed the rest of the book! I can't wait to hear what else comes from this author! Loved it!

The Storm Crow stood out to me early in the year as something with potential. I enjoyed the idea of the magic system, with big magical, pheonix-like crows, to be the source of power. I will admit this made things very surprising when the crows dont last long. After the prologue that world is gone. Left behind is a broken, oppressed government that is just trying to make ends meet. In order to save a small part of themselves, the queen decides to accept their enemies offer of marriage on behalf of her little sister. Chaos ensues because the little sister, our main character, Anthia, doesnt want to go.

The story takes a few surprising twists and turns, but overall it is fairly predictable. What makes this book different from other typical YA fantasy is that, Anthia doesnt necessarily fall in love with her forced fiance, or does she? There is also depression rep, and while at times the exposition of this is a bit forced and telling, it is still something needed in today's Young Adult Fantasy. I admire the author for going there.

Normally you see authors who are juggling a whole made up world along with characters and plot and I think it's difficult on them to tackle these mental illnesses. The Storm Crow does a good job of this.

Ultimately though, the story leaves a lot wanting. There are some great moments of tension within the plot, but the only one that really stood out to me was the relationship between Ericen and his ex-bff Shearen. Like, I seriously wanted to just KNOW MORE.

Anthia herself annoyed me at times with her choices as well. She seemed to dislike being a part of the world she was in, and even though she had been raised to be a Crow rider she didnt know the basics of her history or their magic system. This seemed confusing. If they fell less then a year ago, how is it that no one remembers these details? The one good thing about her character is she makes decisions. She doesnt lack agency even though she tends to make obviously bad decisions.

Overall I think this will appeal to those who like their fantasy light with rebel politics and their princes soft, but tragic.

The synopsis really sounded interesting and the story lived up to it! I really liked the role the crows play in for the kingdom of Rhodaire. It’s such an interesting concept and nothing I’ve ever read before! It kept me interested the whole way through and especially towards the end!! That ending!!!

The characters are good and I enjoyed reading about them. Princess Anthia is our main character and we meet her after the crows are destroyed in Rhodaire. She’s about to be married off to Queen Razel’s (of Illucia) son Ericen to form an alliance between Rhodaire and Illucia. On top of not being fond of this, she is also overcoming everything that happened in Rhodaire. She was in a deep depression due to it. As the story progresses you see Thia recovering from the depressive state and start to thrive. It was lovely seeing her go from such a low point to a high point and standing up for what is right.

Kiva is a good friend to Thia and always will stand by her side. She was the one trying to motivate Thia to come out of her shutdown mode and function in society again. I always loved all the funny and sarcastic things she’d say!

Ericen was not a favorite at first with his attitude issues, but I grew to really like him by the end. It was funny watching him and Thia going at it while in Rhodaire and then see them come together in Illucia. His feelings for Thia definitely seem genuine. Now that she does not reciprocate the feeling he seems lost and unsure where to turn.

I liked the idea that Thia didn’t fall for the Prince cause that’s usually a standard in some books. It was nice seeing her go for the “underdog” character. Caylus seems like a good guy so far and gets along well with Thia. I’m excited to see where their relationship goes.

I really enjoyed The Storm Crow and it’s a fun read with a good set of characters! I’m excited to see what happens next!

Princess Anthia is the character I've been waiting for. Let me start by saying I'm normally a reader of contemporary ya fiction, but every now and then I find a fantasy novel I can dig into. This is one! The beauty of a fantastical character living in another world, but honestly processing emotions, depression, and doubt in the way in which she does, is weaved together so brilliantly that I could not put this book down. It does not disappoint.

*4 Stars*

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book! The Storm Crow is absolutely filled with the potential to be a great, captivating series. It’s gripping within the first chapter and the magic system is unique and fun. With a variety of majestic crows that can control the elements, and even bend shadows, they provide the foundation for a country’s way of life. How could you NOT get sucked into the story immediately?! The relationships between the crows and their riders is charming and gave me all the feels, reminding me of my own relationships with my two kitties (who, unfortunately, cannot control the elements, but they do a pretty damn good job at controlling my emotions).

This book was easy to keep reading and not once did I feel bored or want to put it down. There were some things about it that made some of the story difficult to believe because I did not want to believe that the main character, Thia, was that naïve. That being said, the character is young and, in my opinion, her actions are more representative of the mistakes that teenagers make as they are trying to figure out who they are and how to navigate their interpersonal relationships and environment.

I felt that some of the characters did need more depth and complexity to them to make me really feel like I could conceptualize their personalities and development throughout the story. Because of that, it would have been 3 stars for me. However, the reason I am giving this 4 stars is because there is a mental health component. Thia battles a depressive episode and her experience is written well. The mental health focus is a strong addition to Thia’s character as I feel it is something a lot of people will be able to relate to; therefore, allowing the reader to empathize with the character. With YA fantasy being, well, fantasy, it could be hard to relate to the experiences of the characters. Adding a mental health component to Thia’s story really gave me the ability to empathize with her and provided the story with more realism.

I highly recommend picking this book up when it comes out and I am very much looking forward to seeing how the series progresses.

THAT COVER!! Not going to lie, I didn't even read the description before requesting this on Netgalley, lol, I was totally sucked in by the art :) Luckily, I enjoyed the book a lot too!

The prologue was the perfect way to begin -- I was immediately sucked into this world of magical crows and I was dying to learn more. Then, BAM! Gone, and it had me sinking into a depression just like the main character. I really understood her longing for the way things were, because I sort of felt like I spent the book longing to be back in the world of the prologue too, and I was excited to see the character fighting to recover the culture she'd lost.

Oh, man. The Storm Crow is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I ended up finishing the book all in one sitting by pulling an all nighter!

The story is breathtaking and unique. I absolutely loved the magic of the crows. The author has a way with words, that much is certain; she made the universe seem so real. I adored the relationships between characters and I cannot wait to see what book 2 has to offer.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a fan of fantasy and YA, you will enjoy this read.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the banter between the characters. It adds some brevity to the tense situations that the characters are in and it makes you laugh.

The fantasy world that the author has built submerges you into the story. I loved the magic of the crows. The words that the author arranges makes the universe seem surreal.

The relationship between the characters was also an amazing part of the book. The romances are really sweet and endearing and the friendships between the female characters were entrancing and compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ship Ericen so hardcore. Seriously do not care for the other relationship. Now this book was so much more than the relationship but I needed to say my heart is with the prince. I loved the believability portrayed in the anxiety that comes with grief.

I also thought it was great watching Thia grow through her anxiety. Anxiety is always still there but she learns to allow it to make her stronger.

The magic system and the crows were so fantastic. The kingdoms and people were intriguing and I look forward to reading more in this world.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this early copy!

I recommend checking out this well-written fantasy novel. It has great world building and such a unique plot.

The Storm Crow had me hooked from page one.
Anthia is a wonderful and for once different character as I didn't come across a protagonist dealing with depression ever before. Her struggle and the ways she finds to overcome it were beautifully written and it helps that she has a great friend and protector in Kiva, who constantly reassures her and stays with her through everything.

I love how the author builds and describes the world the characters live in, the myths, the politics, the war, the different nations and the diversity.
The characters are well developed and I hope to read more about everyone!
Most notably Prince Ericen, who I think will surprise everyone. Caylus, who still has many secrets to share, and the ever mysterious Auma, whose role will be greater as the story moves on.

And never ever forget the Crows and how they represent each element. It's wondrous and magical and tragic and hopeful.

I fell in love with this book, how it handles depression and the gorgeous writing. I am so thankful to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to read this magical ARC!
This is high on my wishlist and an instant buy once it offically hits shelves.

**4.5 stars! This review will be published on my blog site http://pastmidnight.home.blog one month prior to publication date**

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the book blurb for this story, the thing that caught my attention were the words "elemental Crows". I thought, I must have it. I was very excited to be allowed to read this from NetGalley.

This story grabbed me at the first page. The writing is beautiful. I am introduced to Thia on top of a crow, flying above her beloved home, the Kingdom of Rhodaire in Aris. I felt like I was flying with her or at least I wished I was her. I wanted to belong to this kingdom. I wanted to be a crow rider! We are drawn into this magical kingdom with a lush setting, where there are crows in every aspect of their world.

But Thia's beautiful world is turned into chaos and turmoil when the Illucian empire invades them in a calculating move.
Thia is in a haze of grief and depression for most of the beginning of the book. I could relate to her trauma and grief on every level. I felt it, I've been through that same tunnel of grief before. Everyone deals with grief differently, some like Caliza can put it behind them quickly and keep moving forward. Some are like Thia, who can't get out of bed. Depression can be debilitating, yet many people chalk it up to cowardice, like some do in the story. But I was cheering Thia on, with every step she took in the book. I admired her courage to try and move forward, even if some days were bad days.

Thia is forced to marry her enemies' son, Prince Ericen, to save her kingdom from utter ruin. They do not get along at first but try to tolerate each other's company. The only part I didn't quite enjoy about this story was the romance aspect to it. It's not a love triangle...yet, and maybe it won't become that but I wasn't quite convinced of her choice in this book. Will it change in book two? We shall see!

And then there is her friendship with Kiva. I loved their banter and love for each other. Kiva and Thia together are friendship goals.

This is a wonderful debut filled with magic, intrigue, friendship, courage, love and a twist in the end that left me with hope for Thia's future. Hopefully the next book in the series, which I am anxious to read, will have even more crows to fall in love with!

The Storm Crow gets five stars from me!

I found this story to be quite refreshing, not only did it have a character who is depressed and struggling with her day to day life, but also had magical elements that make it hard to unlike, Elemental crows that can help a whole community function? Loved it. I love that authors like Kalyn can imagine up these wonderful plots, creatures and scenery.

Mostly I adored Anthia, she is a fiery character who has dreamt of being a crow rider her whole life. However, those dreams go up in smoke, quite literally, and she suddenly feels useless and her life seems to lack purpose. She however, powers on and is resilient, imperfect, determined and a great female lead, and is given an opportunity to fight back, and make a new dream for herself. Also, her witty comebacks are brilliant. You’ll want to read it for those alone!!

Overall I found it a great book to read, the writing style was easy to follow and beautifully descriptive. Would recommend to anyone who loves YA Fantasy.

"The Storm Crow" has a stunning cover and an intriguing premise going for it, but it reads more like a middle grade novel to me.

This isn't a bad thing, as I really enjoy middle grade books sometimes! However, this is supposed to be YA, so it's a problem that this reads a little younger than that.

We get right into the action as the first few pages gets into the attack from Illucia on Princess Anthia's kingdom, leaving their nation in ruin and their mighty crows all killed. In the time since, Anthia has been bed-ridden, leaving her older sister to take care of the kingdom in the wake of destruction.

When Anthia's sister is forced to offer her up as a bride for Illucia's crown prince Ericen, she decides it's time to fight back. Their odds look even better after Anthia finds a single crow's egg.

I'll say that I thought the first few chapters were very strong, and seeing depression represented in a main character like this was new; we don't see this often in fantasy novels. Sadly, things sort of went downhill from there for me.

I felt that the political aspect of this book was juvenile, and it didn't make sense to me. Anthia goes before her sister, the queen, and other high-ranking noble-people of their kingdom, and announces, "I have an idea: let's ally with the surrounding kingdoms against Illucia!" *applause all around*

... I mean, that's not an idea exactly, but okay, we're on the right track? It just seems to me this is something that anyone could have "come up with", and Anthia brought it up like no one had ever considered the possibility.

Anthia and her sister are struggling to figure out how to hatch the egg because for some reason, literally no one left in the kingdom knows. Riiiiight. Supposedly, the egg has to be in the presence of royals in order to hatch, and the queen "doesn't like" crows, so she refuses. This leaves Anthia, who is traveling with Ericen, the prince of their enemy kingdom, to take the egg into enemy territory. How does this make any sense whatsoever?

It was frustrating to read their strategies because I couldn't understand for the life of me why they did the things they did. I felt some of the situations were orchestrated by the author and it didn't compute with me.

A promising story, but lacking for me.

An e-arc of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

ARC provided by Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review - many thanks!



#FantasyAThon - 'read a debut novel'





<i>The Storm Crow</i> tells the story of Rhodairan princess, Anthia (Thia), who wants nothing more than to be a Crow Rider. In Rhodaire, giant crows with magical attributes form bonds with specific people. They form the basis for the entire economy, the military, trade and to an extent, governance. Thia is the younger of two sisters and consequently not next in line for the throne, which is fine with her. And then on the night of the hatching when she is to bond with her newly hatched crow and take her place as a rider, her entire world ends. I won't give away spoilers although one of the few TWs I give is for animal deaths - so if that upsets you, be aware. It's not gratuitous but I still hated that part. (We're meant to!) Rhodaire's entire economy comes crashing down overnight leaving the country and it's ruler in dire straights. Finally, Thia's sister Caliza is forced to accept overtures of a political marriage for Thia, from the son of the very queen who crushed all her hopes. But does Queen Razel of Illucia really want peace and an accord with Rhodaire now she had hobbled the country? Or could she have darker intentions? Onlt Thia can find out.



I wouldn't say this book breaks new ground in YA literature but it reuses favourite tropes very well, giving us something a bit different. It's Dragons of Pern meets The Remnant Chronicles, and it's an engaging read. The main themes of the book are power and responsibility. Thia spends a good portion of the first third of the book hiding from her responsibilities. Honestly, I found that a bit grating. It was a good representation of how depression can manifest itself and if your world ends overnight, I know not everyone leaps straight on the revenge train or the fight back wagon. That said, depression - though no fault of the sufferer - causes very selfish behaviour. It was frustrating (I'm saying this from the perspective of someone who has suffered) and I found it hard to sympathise with Thia when all she wanted to do was hide in bed for six months. That said, I believed it so perhaps the author did exactly as she set out to do there!



The other characters were fairly well developed and the world building was definitely one of the better YA examples. I wish we could have seen more of the crows in action but maybe in the next book? BTW do not expect a crow to make an appearance after the first chapter for around 2/3rds of the book. (Which did bug me a bit because I was there for the crows - clearly a me problem.) I found Razel a bit moustache twirly as a villain and Ericen changed tracks a bit too readily. Also, while not quite instalove, the who romance side of things really only took a couple of weeks. (I know, it's YA...)



Overall though this was quick, engaging, tightly plotted and imaginative with sympathetic characters. As a bonus there's a good amount of on page diversity too and enough gritty bits to give the story depth. Enjoyed the book. Will definitely read the next one.

Top 5 reasons why "The Storm Crow" should be read:

1. Vivid imagery. From the first page, Josephson sets the foundation for this magical world and introduces us to the protagonist, Anthia, and you find yourself instantly part of her world.
2. The strong female friendship is fantastic... and their sharp tongues! (love the witty comebacks)
3. If you like action, Josephson gives it to us right from the beginning.
4. You will find yourself attached to a character, or two, or three. (I'm on four and one of them you don't get to see much of, but will definitely be a major player in the next book)
5. Depression is a topic that is talked about in the book, which I enjoyed because there are many teens that struggle with depression; an opportunity is created for people who suffer from depression to connect to the character. Josephson has created a character that is trying to figure out how to overcome depression and not letting it consume her.

Negative: having to WAIT for the next book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book. I'm looking forward to the next book to see Prince Ericen's (I like him and am rooting for him, but maybe I shouldn't LOL) character development, Res and what he'll grow into, and of course, Anthia, bringing the storm. This is definitely a book that I will buy in hardcover when it is released!

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.