I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf is a first person-POV contemporary fantasy set in small town Appalachia. Weatherly is a Death Talker, someone who can bring people back from the edge of death by attracting death to her instead. When Weatherly’s cousin is killed by someone in town by accident, she isn’t so sure and is determined to find out who killed her cousin and why.

There’s a lot of hints of Appalachian culture from the different ingredients mentioned to parts of the magic system to how the town operates. I’m somewhat familiar with Appalachian culture through friends and family and I could see the attention to detail in terms of Voice and building the town to help really bring this town to life. The novel also does some reckoning with Southern plantations, with one of the richest families in town making money from tours of a sugar plantation, Weatherly expresses disgust with the entire structure and its history and the tour is clearly stated to mention the plantation’s connection to slavery.

The magic system both is and isn’t explained but I found it quite satisfying. We don’t get a hard explanation for why Weatherly’s family has this ability, but we do know that it has to be passed to a man just as Weatherly’s grandfather passed it to her and that someone cannot be brought back twice. I think what I like about this magic system is that readers are allowed to intuit parts of it and if something isn’t explained, we’re allowed to fill in the pieces or not as we please. As the magic system is clearly stated to be a mix of various cultures and traditions, it does also create questions as to which pieces came from where.

Weatherly is in love with Rook, a crow that was originally a boy she found as a child. She has had feelings for him almost her whole life but they can’t be together because he’s only in human form every so often and is no longer human. There’s some really nice yearning in their relationship and I liked how focused on the small moments it was.

I would recommend this to fans of contemporary fantasy with a mystery subplot, readers looking for a contemporary fantasy set in Appalachia, and those looking for a fantasy that does address the history of the South but it isn’t the main point of the book.

First I would like to thank the publisher Harlequin Trade and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchanged for my unbiased review. This book had a fun premise for me, as someone who lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Appalachian region. I've always heard old "wives tales" about people who could talk fire out of others, people who could talk with the dead, so I thought this would be a great story. I really liked the premise, but something was lacking in the story and I haven't been able to put my finger on it yet. The story is based around a girl who can talk death out of people, and her family who sometimes use her gift for nefarious purposes. When her cousin is killed, she goes on a mission to figure out if she was actually murdered, why, and what is behind some of her family. The book is short, but the story took me a while to get through for some reason. If you are into Appalachian lore, it's definitely one for you!

I love a good Southern gothic, and Dana Elmendorf's "In the Hour of Crows" did not disappoint. I loved the characters, and the atmosphere was thick and dreamy

"In a small town in Appalachia, people paint their doorways blue to keep spirits away. Black ferns grow where death will follow. And Weatherly Opal Wilder is a Death Talker.

When called upon, she can talk the death out of the dying and save their lives - only once, never twice. But this truly unique gift comes at a price, rooting Weatherly to people who only want her around when they need her and resent her backwater ways when they don't.

Weatherly's cousin Adaire also has a gift: she's a Scryer and can see the future reflected back in dark surfaces. Right before she is killed in an accident, Adaire saw something unnerving, and that's why Weatherly believes she was murdered - never thinking for a moment that it was an accident. But when Weatherly, for the first time, is unable to talk the death out of the mayor's son, the whole town suspects she is out for revenge, that she wouldn't save him.

With the help of clues Adaire left behind and her family's Granny Witch recipe box, Weatherly sets out to find the truth behind her cousin's death, whatever it takes.

Imbued with magic, witchery, and suspense, Dana Elmendorf's In the Hour of Crows is a thrilling tale of friendship, identity, and love."

Personally, I'm thinking the mayor's son had something to do with her cousin's murder. Makes sense...

I know this isn't exactly my usual read, but there was just something about the blurb of In The Hour Of Crows that had me intrigued. It might have had to do with the promise of Appalachian folkore and a Southern gothic vibe, although I also admit that I was fascinated by the gift of main character Weatherly as a Death Talker. I wanted to know more, and I'm SO glad I took a chance with this book now. While the pace wasn't always consistent and it was sometimes hard to fully grasp what was going on, as a whole I was still completely charmed by this story.

It's hard to put In The Hour Of Crows inside a neat little genre box, as there is so much going on in this story. It's part historical with its 1980s Appalachian setting. It's magical realism/fantasy with the whole Death Talker idea and other supernatural elements. Related to this is the Appalachian folkore, which is probably one of the elements I loved most about this story. It's also a family drama, as you will find a lot of that going on along the way... A bit of romance, lots of secrets and intrigue, and that whole Southern gothic vibe of course. Am I missing something? A dose of paranormal maybe, as we are never quite sure what Rook is until the end, and the main character communicates with her murdered cousin as well. This all seems like a lot, but trust me, somehow the author is able to blend the different genres and elements in a very satisfying way.

I do have to say that the pace wasn't always consistent, and there were parts (especially in the beginning) where I struggled to understand what exactly was going on. This might put some people off, but I can tell you that it is worth it to keep reading... As long as you are able to keep an open mind. The writing itself flows easily, and I was especially looking forward to the parts where the folkore took the lead and the plot explained more about Weatherly's gift. The mystery itself was great as well, and there were without doubt a couple twists I didn't see coming. Some were more obvious, but they didn't make me enjoy the story any less as there was so much going on to help distract me.

As for the characters... Some are more likeable than others and they are definitely mostly flawed, but somehow it was still surprisingly easy to root for Weatherly. I wasn't always as charmed by her tone, but it was interesting to follow her around and slowly discover what is going on. There are lots of secrets to uncover, and I liked how everything was explained and wrapped up in the end. Things can be said about certain aspects being a bit too convenient, but as a whole I thought it was a fitting ending for this story.

If you are looking for a little something different and like the sound of an 1980s setting, a Southern gothic vibe and references to Appalachian folklore, In The Hour Of Crows might just be the perfect book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Dark, superstitious Appalachian death magic....with crows?
Yes, please!
See my full video review here:
https://youtu.be/BTTHln_cYYI?si=RgHFtei3bgT8XIGK

“In the hour of crows” follows 24 year old Weatherly, some kind of witch, or “Demon spawn” as some town folk would refer to her.

She has the ability of a “death talker”, to help bring back people from the brink of death, but others seek to use her gifts for evil, to which she gets the blame for.

Her cousin was recently killed and she is determined to get to the bottom of her death and seek justice by following clues, rhymes and future predictions left by her deceased cousin.

This book was definitely uniquely interesting with a vast cast of characters. What I did think the plot was missing was more information on Weatherlys gifts and how her powers came to be.

The beginning starts off a little confusing but once it skips to the events unfolding in present day it’s easy to get a grasp on things.

I somewhat enjoyed this book however other parts where just a bit to whimsical for me. A lot of inner dialogue, descriptions and poetical metaphors, not my preferred writing style but I’m sure others would love it for that reason.

Thank you to Dana Elmendorf, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the EARC.

Pub date: June 4th 2024

An instant American Classic!

In the Hour of the Crows threads you through the days of an Appalachian Witch with abandonment issues as she solves the murder of her cousin and discovers her own history along the way.

I loved this book. I am raving about this book. I want everyone to pre-order this audiobook. I am astounded by the less than 4 star reviews, but then I recall we all have our own needs for a well told story, and this one sung to me.
The small town, prejudice makes me feel so seen, as a neurodivergent teen with poor self-esteem and a penchant for saying the absolutely worst things in any given situation I could walk in Weatherly's scruffy shoes with not a problem. This does lead me to recognize something readers dislike, Weatherly Wilder is so innocent that she seems ageless. I can't quite assure myself that she is the adult she proclaims to be through the entire book. My brain kept trying to recall her actual age. She did adult things, like working and driving and uncommitted sex but, those are traumatized teenaged things too.
The real crux of the story is a murder mystery in Appalachia with social divide, witches, and voodoo. How can one not want to read and re-read this story.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and netgallery for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting story. In some ways, I could have been better done. The gift of Weatherly’s, what the purpose was, how it came about, etc. That was my only issue with this book. I felt like it should have been explained better earlier on so I didn’t spend the first half of the book confused by the whole premise. The writing was good, the characters were good, and the plot was original. Good story!

Atmospheric Southern Gothic Perfect For Fans Of Emily Carpenter Or Robert Gwaltney. This is one of those trippy atmospheric southern gothic tales where folklore plays a central role. Set in the 1980s in Appalachia, it is perhaps *too* reliant on folklore in reality, but the story works within itself. As someone who grew up in the 1980s in the foothills of the Appalachians in the borderlands between Appalachia and Atlanta, the tale perhaps makes my people seem a bit backward and mystical than most of us really were, though there were (and are) absolutely pockets of people who were in fact very similar to the characters portrayed here.

Still, for the story being told here, it absolutely works within itself and creates a compelling story of a young woman struggling to find herself and the man of her dreams. But you're going to get a *lot* of southern mysticism within that more general tale, and it is this very southern mysticism that gives the book its gravitas, atmosphere... and challenges for many readers, almost to the level of being more literary fiction than popular fiction. Not quite that far, but certainly not a too casual read either.

If you're looking for an easy, casual summer read... this aint that. If you enjoy more spooky reads with a dash of horror but still more of a typical mystery/ drama, you might like this one. Ultimately, I thought it was well done and the release date separates it a bit from the more typical fall/ Halloween window many readers might be looking for this type of tale during - which actually gives those who like this story that much longer to find it, and for those who do find it near release date, something to enjoy outside of the "spooky season".

Very much recommended.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ya'll--the ending.

The storyline is this novel is compelling and distressing. There is lots of loss, plenty of betrayal, and some unconditional love that will break your heart.

She had me at crows . . . but the more the story rolled out, the deeper I was pulled in. Such an intriguing concept and, while I don’t absolutely need everything tied up with a sweet little bow, I certainly enjoy when it does happen. The end pretty much answered all my questions and I really, really enjoyed the journey.

Magic, suspense, folklore, mystery, very real human emotions and well-drawn characters made it hard to dislike In the Hour of Crows.

In the beginning, I nearly docked this book a star because a couple of things threw off this slightly autistic Georgia girl—we Georgians would never say, “make our way over to Nashville” as it’s always north. Up to, maybe? Also, this is clearly North Georgia and sugar cane plantations can only be found in middle and south Georgia. Fortunately, by the middle of the book, I was more than willing to suspend my disbelief because it didn’t really matter. And I am glad that I did because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Weatherly Opal Wilder is a Death Talker, a gift passed down to her by her grandfather. She was raised by Grandmama Agnes, a cruel and miserable woman who begins taking advantage of Weatherly's gift at a young age. Weatherly is profoundly impacted by the death of her cousin and best friend, Adaire. Prior to Adaire being killed in what appears to be a tragic accident, Adaire uncovered something important and it is up to Weatherly to figure out just what it was and why it was so important she left cryptic hidden messages behind. Family secrets are decrypted clue by clue in small town Appalachia.

Wow - let me start out by saying that I read this in one sitting, finishing it around 5am - it was truly unputdownable. I fully understand why it is describes as a Where the Crawdads Sing meets Practical Magic. Dripping with magical realism and Appalachian folklore, this story is equal parts mysterious and raw (trigger warnings for child abuse/abandonment, death, grief, and mental illness) set within a Southern gothic [creepy] town set in its traditions.

I personally loved how the book throws you right into the middle of the story, leaving room for mystery and your mind to wander, before filling in the blanks. The characters develop slowly, so you really sit with their traits, mannerisms, flaws, etc. You feel yourself slipping into the family/ies, really getting a sense of their inner workings and the dysfunction within. In my opinion, this is what makes it unputdownable - it is slow and intentional, until it is fast and your mind is racing to uncover more.

I only have two things that are nagging at me - 1) I wish their last name wasn't Wilder. Wilderwomen just came out a few years ago and I actually had to go back and look it up to see if it was somehow related. 2) Rook. I love the premise of a shapeshifting human/crow, but I found myself wavering back and forth between "tell me more about this character" and "is this really necessary." Though perhaps, if the epilogue is any indication, there will be more to come on that front.

Regardless, if you are into magical realism, with a heavy dose of folklore sprinkled in, then this is for you!

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

A mix of murder mystery, magic, religion, and witch crafts.

I was a bit confused up until chapter 5, which, in my opinion, is when I felt the book started picking up. The book finally went in depth and I finally understood what it meant about the FMC, Weatherly, can only talk death out once and not twice. If I didn't read the synopsis, I would have been super confused about Adaire's role also. I wished the book had opened up by explaining their powers so that way it's more clear to the readers. The writing style was hard for me to grasp. I couldn't connect to Weatherly or any of the characters. It was hard at first to understand why Weatherly was so broken over Adaire. I didn't feel a strong connection with them in the beginning at all.

Now to the good parts....

Ok, how did I not see that coming until Weatherly found evidence? I didn't even suspect who the murderer was. Then, the next twist had my nose deep into the book. I was shocked to discover the truth. And don't even get me started on the epilogue. The epilogue itself makes me want to dig deeper! I really want to know what's next!!! Somehow, I found the epilogue was better and more interesting than the whole book. That alone caught my attention!!

Gritty, gothic and paranormal.

The plot and pacing are top tier! It was hard to put down, I had to figure out what was going on in this Appalachian community. The authors description of the backwoods was so good you couldn't help but visualize everything, even the characters.

I loved the way that folklore was used and the way Dana combined mystery, paranormal and a bit of romance, it kept everything moving and the story interesting.

Trigger warnings for mental illness, child abandonment/abuse and death.

3.8. An interesting read. A little hard to get into but then it went a bit quicker. A good debut novel with a tinge of Where the Crawdads Sing mixed with Practical Magic. On the other hand. A little too gothic for me. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review

This was a different kind of read. It has the feel of Where the Crawdads Sing. I've grown up in Appalachia and the author really gives you the feeling of the south. As far as the things going on and the time, it's more like back in the 1930s. The gifts handed down to the opposite sex is a real thing. Not sure about the death talker but removing warts and other stuff and bible verses really work if you can find a person who does it. I loved this book. I was surprised about the touch of fantasy. To me, that was my favorite part. Wish a book would be written about that part and the two characters. It's hard to reviews this because it's such a different read. The first part sort of made me cringe and then it took off totally different but if you stick with it, it all comes together and in the very end you find out about the prologue and what really happens and why. I loved the characters except granny. Think I'd have to give her the pillow test at night while sleeping lol.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for my copy

I didn't expect this book to be so engrossing from the outset. The plot is dark, the prose is gritty, and the reading experience visceral. Although, the horror elements were perhaps a bit gratuitous. The author really brings the story's Southern setting to life and fully immerses the reader in the content. It was all interesting enough to keep me reading. Unfortunately, it just wasn't my kind of fantasy in the end. While I enjoy magical realism, I need to be in the mood for it. Not to mention, witches and witch-crafty books. And I wasn't this time around. But that's on me and does not take away from what I believe is a hard-to-put-down tale about an Appalachian girl with a long family legacy to live up to. That is, a strong propensity for folk magic (death-talking) and getting into all sorts of small-town trouble. I also really loved the unique names for the characters (Weatherly, Rook, Bone Layer). I would recommend this story to anyone with a gothic-leaning taste, who is also into family dramas, murder mysteries, and true grit. Slight warning: this book isn't for the faint of heart. You'll know from the stomach-turning prologue if it's a good fit.

**Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Appalachia, people can have some rather strange and unique beliefs. Living there is a unique family like Weatherly Opal Wilder who is a Death Talker. What is a Death Talker, it is a person who whispers to Death and stops the person from dying. There is a magical crow called Rook, who can become human and speaks to Weatherly. The matriarch is Weatherly’s Grandmama Agnes who uses herbs to cure the locals ailments and the Sin Eater Oil, the mucus spat up by Weatherly to produce wicked potions. Weatherly’s cousin Adaire is killed and Stone Rutledge is accused of killing her. However, when the case is dismissed, Weatherly is determined to find out what really happened.

I enjoyed this magical tale of strange beliefs, family and the loyalty one has to them, and how a town can be divided between the haves and the haven nots. This was an enjoyable read, I liked the friendship among Weatherly and her friends, the family angst, on one hand being the local outcasts and yet being visited by those wishing to end their ails with a potion. The author does a wonderful job of letting the reader feel the tension between family members, between the wealthy and the outcasts, between Weatherly and her gift. Good story, good characters, enjoy the mystical elements of this story.

I was super lost the entire way through. Like things happened and they weren’t explained (the prologue) and the writing just wasn’t the right fit for me. The concept was super interesting but I just couldn’t follow through. It was a hard book to get through, since I was confused the entire way.