I wasn't sure what to expect from this book going into it. It ended up being a pretty good read. I enjoyed the story.

Unfortunately, this was a dnf for me. The world building was confusing and I never fully grasped what was going on.

Thank you NetGalley for this May Release! 4.5 because it could have been longer. I’m in love with the main character. What a strong, compassionate, and interesting man. I’m pretty sure if we beg Veronica Roth enough, she will give us a part 2 to this??? I mean really, after reading this book you will agree with me that we need more, A LOT more of this world and these characters.

While I normally adore VR this just wasn’t a fit for me. I found the book to be sluggish and hard to get through. The pace felt off and the story dragged because of it.

Mood Readers:
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth is great for someone looking for a short book to wet their pallet. The story is well rounded, characters are engaging, and the end wraps everything up nicely.
This book was provided in exchance for an honest review graphic
Quotes
“We bear the sword and we bear the pain of the sword”
“I don’t find it painful to be ordinary.”
“”Suffering isn’t atonement”
Would you recommend this book?
Absolutely! When Among Crows packs such a big punch for being a short story. The characters and world building seem so effortless to understand while also diving you deep into the lore of their world. You see just how far one will go to atone for their wrongdoing. It’s a quick and wild ride making you feel all the feels!

Would you be friends with the main character IRL?
While they are wonderful characters for the story at hand, my answer is absolutely not! Too much pain and angst to go around for me. I hope they can find some happiness!
What songs would you put on this book’s playlist?
“Reflection” – Tool
“Need” – Geographer
“Paralyzed” – NF

My deep dark secret? I've never read Veronica Roth before this novella and I loved the Slavic influence. I worry that it was just too short to really let me feel engaged in the story or connected to the characters. I'm not sure I will continue with the series but I will absolutely recommend this to readers! I just know that is is not the best book for me personally.

I loved this book. The setting is right up my alley because I love the present-day scene in places we're familiar with, combined with lore/monsters. And I love pretty much any monster book, plus the lore was really interesting to learn about. Also, the twist was so well done in my opinion. I've read Divergent by Veronica Roth but her adult works are definitely my favorite.

Listened to the audio on this one and I had a hard time following along. The beginning was strong, the middle lacked and the ending got better. Required lots of thought.

Thank you to Veronica Roth (author), Helen Laser (narrator), James Fouhey (narrator), Tim Campbell (narrator), Macmillan, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for this free advanced reader (/listener) copy of "When Among Crows" for an honest review.

I continue to be awed and amazed by everything Veronica Roth touches, each genre and time period, and this one was no difference. I found myself deeply pulled into this new world of darkness, insider information, different types of creatures, the story of a villain in search of redemption, hiding in as the innocent and revealed as the deepest thorn in their wounds, but already lost in the drowning blood of his past. I have SO MANY FEELINGS about everything in here. And I love the twist ending.

When Among Crows is a wonderful fantasy novella. The world building is so intricate for such a short book and it had me wishing that not only was this a full length novel but a full series.

The narration was good and I would definitely recommend the audiobook!

DNF at 51%

This audiobook was so confusing to follow!

The many complicated terms and Polish expressions used made it very hard to understand everything, and the accent put on by one of the narrators didn't help. Then again, English is already not my first language, so it might be a me problem.

I might try reading the physical version instead at some point.

A charming urban fantasy for fans of Six of Crows.

It was interesting to learn about Eastern European/Slavic mythology through this story. The magic system was interesting, but I wish it was explored further. This novella probably would have done better as a full-length novel.

The characters had complex backstories given the limited page numbers, and their relationships amongst themselves were well-developed. If you like the found family trope, you'll like this group of characters.

Despite all the positives, I found this novella to be unfortunately forgettable in the sea of other urban fantasies on the market. I doubt I'll remember much more than the plot by the end of the year.

This was really lovely. Often novellas can be hard to be so well done due to their short size. But this is not the case here. The characters were quite complex and compelling. The story moved quickly and was interesting. This was just so fun and good. And the narrator was wonderful.

I haven't read anything by Veronica Roth since I finished Divergent. The internet decided to spoil the series ending, leaving me crying for a whole night. I really loved that book, and I can honestly say that the feeling carried over to this novella.

"When Among Crows" is a compelling tale that revolves around Dymitr, who belongs to a generation of skilled hunters, and Ala, who finds herself on the opposing end as part of the hunted. As they navigate their challenging circumstances, they need to overcome all the prejudices they have been taught about each other in order to not just survive, but to truly live.

I was blown away by how good the story is. Roth masterfully constructs a paranormal world set in the undergrounds of Chicago that is truly unique. We see how the complex characters, who are in a cycle of pain for very different and, at the same time, very similar reasons, embark on a journey that will not only end their suffering but also give them another chance to break with the past and create a safe space that will let them start living. Since it's a novella, I don't want to give away too much, but it's definitely worth reading.

I also want to add that the narrator's incredible performance completely immersed me in the story. With their captivating voices, they made me feel as though I was not just an observer but a part of the story, experiencing every moment alongside the characters. Their skillful portrayal truly brought the characters to life, adding depth and richness to the story.

I hope to read more like this from Ms. Roth in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC!

This is an incredible story. At just under 180 pages, it's not a lengthy one, but it doesn't need to be. Based around Eastern European mythologies and magic - that frankly, we don't hear enough about in the USA - with a tale of a man looking to right a wrong... working with people who aren't exactly human to get to the end he wants. There's so much I can't say in order to not spoil any of this beautiful story, so I'll just say this - read it. You won't regret the time spent. I've recommended this to everyone I know that enjoys modern magical fantasy.

I didn’t realize at first this was such a short novella. All in all, it felt like the premise to a bigger story. The world’s beings are varied and interesting. Set in modern day Chicago, we follow the POV of three different characters, a human who is looking for Baba Jaga in order to achieve redemption, a fear-eating zmora who is cursed, and a anger-eating dream boat (Dimytr, Ala and Niko). There is a little bit of a romantic spark in between the pages, but just barely. Veronica Roth did manage to create an urban fantasy world that I would totally dive into again. The narrators also do a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.

If you are a fan of Veronica Roth, definitely pick it up!

This book was a short, quick palette cleanser for me. I enjoyed it but felt I might nowt have been in the right mood while reading it. I enjoyed the paranormal aspects of this one a lot

A fun remix of Urban Fantasy tropes, with a thick layer of Eastern European folklore. It permeates the culture, the creatures and witches, and even the guilt characters carry. A fun novella that leaves me hoping Roth will do more in this world. The audio version is evocative, lifting Roth's prose even higher, and giving it all the proper weary tone for our exhausted and cynical hunters.

I'll be honest. I found this quite boring. I'm not sure what the point of this book was, other than to introduce people to the many people to a vast array of magical creatures. For most of the story, I really didn't care. The ending is almost worth it but again, I didn't really care up to that point, so if you don't mind slow pacing and slow plotting, maybe you'll like this.

I wanted to love this, unfortunately I didn’t. It was well written just not for me. I found it hard to stay focused