Really liked the way the author paid attention to the little things and was careful not to lump all of the characters together into to stereotypes as often happens with books set in Appalachia. The story moved at an almost real-time pace which made it extremely difficult to put down. Appreciated how everyone accepted magic as part of the everyday as learned from past experiences.

In the Hour of Crows
by Dana Elmendorf
Pub Date: Jun 04 2024

In the Hour of Crows is a Southern Gothic story with a mixture of magic, folklore and dark family drama with likable characters. It's a quick read. If you like solving murder mysteries I highly recommend this book.

Synopsis: 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 unfamiliar ways when they don’t.

Many thanks to #IntheHourofCrows #NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

I don’t want to spoil too much plot, so instead I’m going to throw out vibes spoilers - this one, while different in plot, had similar vibes to books like Spells for Forgetting, Belladonna, Summer Sons.
Mysterious, haunting, a little dangerous, slowly building into a spilling of the family secrets.

Smallest of overviews - The person Weatherly most suspects in the death of her cousin gets off in a sham of pretrial. And when he turns up dead? Well that’s only the start of the things the authorities consider her responsible for. She’s sneaking around trying to find answers and justice while struggling to keep her name clear.

I was infuriated when the townspeople would use Weatherly’s gifts and then - almost in the same breath - condemn her as evil, unnatural etc. Even in her own small family she’s felt different. You can feel the loneliness.

When the answers she finds only seem to open up more questions, it was hard to out the book down!
This one is coming out next week, but even if you don’t read it immediately - and with our TBRs does anything? - it’s totally worth picking up to keep on hand for a stormy day read

Thanks to HTP and The Hive for the arc!

It's a creepy and dark book with a little bit of a mystery thrown in if you do like that type a genre. Type of book you would read around the campfire. It held my interest.

This book was heavy with magic and atmosphere. It was incredibly written and I loved the characters and setting! I was hooked from start to finish and the mystery aspect was so well done. The plot twists were incredible and I didn’t see them coming!

If you enjoy Southern gothic magical realism books, this deeply atmospheric and immersive novel is absolutely for you! (Think Crawdads meets June Farrow).

In a rural Georgia mountain small town setting, Weatherly Wilder is a Death Talker who can use her magical ability to talk the death out of the dying; a powerful gift with a heavy price that has rooted and isolated her from the rest of the town. Weatherly's cousin, Adaire, also has a magical gift of Scrying, but when Adaire is killed in an accident she has left behind cryptic clues leading Weatherly to believe she was murdered by the town's mayor. When Weatherly is suddenly unable to talk the death out of the mayor's injured son, the whole town suspects she refused to save him out of revenge. The town begins digging into Weatherly's past and questioning her abilities as witchcraft, so she must solve her cousin's death with the help of another magical friend, a crow and Death Walked, before losing everything she holds dear.

There is mystery, unique magic, romance, sisterhood/friendship, family secrets, and revenge weaved into a beautifully written novel that I devoured almost in one setting. I LOVED it!!
Thank you to HTP the Hive for my gifted copy and swag bag!

Weatherly Wilder is a Death Talker. When folks in her small rural town are near death, she can hear their soul’s song and harmonize with it in a way to call death out of them and into her. The old ways are alive and well in Weatherly and her grandmama, a Granny Witch, and the townsfolk are quite happy to take advantage of these gifts, though they don’t always approve of the people who wield them.

I loved the premise of this book and, for the most part, it delivered. It was a fairly quick read (I read most of it in one sitting) and definitely worth the time.

It nailed the Appalachian vibes, and I loved the magic system. It was well described and thought out, but not hard to follow. I enjoyed watching the main character’s journey as she became comfortable forging her own path and stepping out of the only life she’d ever known or imagined for herself.

My main complaint was the romance. There was no need for it. I loved Rook as a character concept but the romance had no legs. I can think of many relationships that would have worked better for those two to share. But, all things considered, it didn’t take up too much of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book but I just didn’t.
It starts confusing and does get a bit better but by then I had lost interest. Hopefully everyone else will enjoy this book

In the Hour of Crows is an excellent installment into gothic, Southern literature. The spooky, 90s vibes, the intense disparity between the haves and have nots, injustice and murder, and the Appalachian folk magic made this book a memorable, vibes-driven tale.

Weatherly was a complex character with a background as a “death talker” and I loved her growth throughout the novel. There were a couple times when I yelled at her to shut up (specifically when talking to cops) and I like how the author handled those situations. Would recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for the eARC.

I spent the first half of this gothic magical realism novel thinking it was a solid four stars: interesting side characters, creepy details of a witchy family living in Appalachian poverty, a flawed but intriguing narrator that I was hoping the best for. But then the mystery and twists gathered speed until I had full-body goosebumps until the literal last page.

Weatherly is a Death Talker. She can talk the death out of the dying, but only save a person once. Her beloved cousin Adaire is a Scryer who can see the future; when she sees something inexplicably unsettling before her death, Weatherly suspects she may have been murdered. When she sets out to investigate Adaire's death, she begins to find more than she bargained for, and shocking secrets are unveiled.

This book just soared and then came together so satisfyingly. Aside from the compelling story, the novel had such a sensual aura to it; you could just feel and smell the details that brought you into this dark Appalachian setting. I loved the character Rook, a boy who is sometimes a crow and whose task as a Death Walker is to accompany recently departed spirits. This one will be a definite re-read for me in the future.

Thank you so much to Harlequin/Mira and Netgalley for this ARC!

"In the Hour of Crows" cleverly mixes folklore, magic, and a dark family drama in a thrilling, satisfying read. Twenty-four year old Weatherly possesses the gift of "death talking": convincing death that now is not the time to take someone clinging to life. The death of her cousin at the wheels of the Corvette driven by a scion of the richest family in town sets into motion events needing her gift, her wits, and friends both within and without this world.

The characterizations are very strong, with lifelike and vital personas driving the story. Similarly, the setting of a Georgia Appalachian small town feels very real. The supernatural lore lends a haunting air to the story, and the author lets the discovery process of Weatherly's powers unfold naturally.

The ending of the story is beyond satisfying, concluding the story with catharsis and impact. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Dana Elmendorf, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hovering around 4.5 so I've rounded up.
This one took me a minute to get into, but once I did it just kept getting better.

This is a short book, yet a full, rich story was told. It's so atmospheric with the 80's Appalachian vibes, dark and spooky but it's not horror. The writing is very descriptive and captures the location and characters well from what I know of it. The magic is unique to anything else I've read, and not the kind that makes you wish you had their powers. I enjoyed this one a lot!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to read. I really enjoyed this book. The atmospheric writing made for a heavy and dreadful reading experience that really added to the story. The occult elements were interesting and very unique from other books I’ve read. I will say that the plot didn’t really start going until about 30% into the book, after that it was snappy and hit after hit. I found that if I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about this book, I really wanted to know what happened. The flashbacks added a lot to the story and made me really care about these characters, the only thing is that sometimes I couldn’t tell which timeline I was reading and would get confused. Overall, I highly recommend this book if you want something atmospheric with occult elements and solving a murder mystery. Super good. This one is going to stick with me.

The synopsis was so unique that I quickly requested to read this book. However, I failed to engage with any of the characters and found myself cringing more than becoming intrigued. I kept expecting to become invested in the story and, was constantly disappointed. By the end, I found myself unsatisfied and wishing for more. I give In the Hour of Crows 2/5 stars.


Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to review In the Hours of Crows. All opinions are my own.

Imagine you’re in rural Georgia, in the hour of crows “… when the day is no longer but the night is not yet.” Dead silent but for the scattering and caws of hundreds of black crows. Are you slightly spooked? Yes? And do you like it? Yes? Then this book is perfect for you.

This reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing but with a witchy element (maybe more like Where the Crawdads Die, lol). I had a blast reading this one. The story was interesting, the setting was deeply atmospheric, and the writing was beautiful.

5 ⭐
0 🌶️

This is Southern Gothic on steroids and so very good. Having been born and raised in the South, I understand the weather in the summer, and this author does a heck of a job making you feel the oppressive heat and humidity of a southern summer. Add to that the air of darkness of the foothills of Georgia. You definitely feel like you're there with Weatherly. It is a small southern town with one foot in the present, and the other in the old mountain ways passed down from generation to generation. Weatherly's gift is dark and wonderful at the same time. The author describes, in an almost reverent way, the scriptures whispered. So much religion blended in with what is ancient witch ways passed down in Weatherly's family. Written in first person, we experience what Weatherly is trying to discover, what she feels, and the burden her "gift" is to her. You can feel how she feels trapped in this town and her situation. This was a fantastic mystery wrapped in magic, wonder, and a bit of love. Your journey with Weatherly is poignant in many ways, based on what she's never been able to experience and what is taken from her. However, in the end, there is deep satisfaction. I loved this book.

Thank you, Dana Elmendorf, NetGalley, and Harlequin Trade Publishing|Mira Books, for the advanced copy. These opinions are my own.

I was really intrigued by the description but this one just didn't execute the overall idea well enough for me. There were so many cringey and unnecessary aspects of this book that made it difficult to get into. It felt too surface-level and disturbing all at once. It's like someone just took an episode of Supernatural and gave it a female protagonist that was far less interesting than needed for this type of genre.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Mystery, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Appalachian Literature, Southern Fiction, Fantasy, Witches
Spice Level: Medium (Sex is pretty much off-page and not explained.)
Language: Some swearing

I was sucked into this world! Two classes (wealthy and impoverished) clash and intertwine in this novel. Another pairing of opposites are natural magic and religion.

Weatherly is so messed up from her grandmother and mother. I really felt for this girl. All of her mistakes can be traced back to how she was raised. There's also this intriguing thread of Christianity and natural magic, and how the two interact and even support each other. I was completely fascinated by what the grandmother and Weatherly were doing—partly horrified too. If I boiled this book into a succinct description, I'd go with a *magical realism mystery*.

The magic is interwoven into this story. I loved how people from all levels of society accepted (even if they didn't like it) Weatherly's magic. I would say *IN THE HOUR OF CROWS* actually has a gothic vibe because it has a love thread, prophecy, deep and tragic past, and mystery. No Byronic heroes here though.

If you love witchy books, southern fiction, creepy vibes, gothic tales, gritty, and magical realism, look no further—this is the book for you! I think fans of Adrienne Young's *THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW* will want to read this book. It might haunt you for a bit (in the best of ways). The publisher describes this book as: *Where the Crawdads Sing* meets *Practical Magic*, and I think that fits because it gives the sense of seeking justice in a southern, atmospheric setting and secrets inherent to magic within a family. Fans of *The Raven Spell* will also want to check out this book. This book deserves to become a best seller (and would make an interesting movie).

I'd love to hear your thoughts once you read it!

Happy (creepy) reading!

This was a great book. I truly enjoyed the writing, plot and the characters. It was unique and orignial. I never knew what to expect. I don't want to give spoilers but do yourself a favor and read this book. It is so good!

The Hour of Crows: when day is no longer but the night is not yet 🐦‍⬛

I’m so grateful to Dana Elmendorf, NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the immense privilege to have an early copy of In the Hour of Crows

If I could sum up the vibes of this book in one sentence it would Where the Crawdads sing meets folk magic ✨

In The Hour of Crows is set in the Appalachian South where the traditions are as old as the money and superstitions, mystery and magic still exist. Our main character, Weatherly Wilder, has the gift of “Death Talking” that she inherited from her Papaw. When someone is near death, Weatherly can hear their souls song and is able to talk death out of them, just once. And the result of talking death out of someone? Sin Eater Oil, a substance that when used in the right (or maybe the wrong) way can cause death. It is this component of Weatherly’s gift that causes her to be caught in the middle of a string of mysterious deaths.

Weatherly is determined to not only prove her innocence but truly solve this mystery. In order to find out the truth, Weatherly is forced to confront her past and its unreliable memories. Can she sort out truth from fiction in time ?

Here is some more of what you can expect from this mysterious and captivating book:

🐦‍⬛Gothic vibes
🐦‍⬛Folk Magic
🐦‍⬛Southern/Appalachian setting
🐦‍⬛Murder mystery
🐦‍⬛Family secrets

In The Hour of Crows is out this June 4th and it is an absolute must read