I really enjoyed this. Fantasy with roots in Polish folklore was interesting and the voice actors really helped immerse you into the story. I went in with almost no expectations and while it took me a little time to get into it, I found myself looking forward to listening to this more and more. The flashbacks were confusing at times and the twist was something I saw coming, but still an immersive and interesting experience.

A delightful urban fantasy novella. Dymitr is in Chicago from Poland and he's on a Quest to find Baba Jaga. This quest follows a tried-and-true fantasy structure: he picks up some reluctant allies as he works his way through several set pieces in the supernatural underground of the city, fighting magical creatures and revealing truths about themselves they'd rather keep hidden along the way. This feels like a fantasy novel in miniature with a hint of gore and a tiny little touch of romance.

If you like the idea of supernatural creatures living among us, and especially the idea of translating "old world"/folk tale creatures like rusalka, banshees, vampires, etc. into today's world, you'll be into this one. I really liked it!

I also listened to the audiobook of this one. I think it would be most helpful as a tandem read - the book has a lot of slavic words and accents that can make the narration difficult to understand. But it's great if you're reading and want to know how the heck to pronounce "leshy," then it's a great help!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the use of not-often-used stories of myth and folklore as the central tenets of the story. I thought that the pacing of the story overall needed a little more work, as at times it felt very slow or very rushed. However, I thought that the characters were interesting, unique, well-rounded, and fit well within the overall storyline. Additionally, I thought that the narrator was strong, and was able to flow well with the language and pacing of the story itself.

I’m a sucker for a novella & adore Roth’s writing style. This was no exception.

The polish folklore was phenomenal, as was the integration of the modern Chicago life & the more fantastical elements. I loved the story, the setting, the characters, everything.

Surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed this dark fairytale that pulled in Slavic folklore. A lot happened in this short novella, and it was fun to see it all unfold…even though it was also kind of gruesome a times.
Due to the length of the story, the characters weren’t as developed as I typically like. However, they were developed enough that I would enjoy reading more about them if given the chance.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley

I really enjoyed this story, but I wish the concept had been developed into a full-length series of novels. I was completely immersed in the world and wanted more depth. I wanted to learn more about each character, their powers, backgrounds, and so on. Overall, it was a satisfying novella, and I appreciated the writing and world-building. I hope this isn't the last we see of this world!

May Wrap Up 🌦

In May, I forgot one of my own reading tenets: stop reading when it's not enjoyable. I used to be so.damned.good at dnfing books I wasn't feeling but there is something about receiving arcs that just makes it harder for me to quit. I barely read the last week of the month and then, as soon as I put those books aside, I finished a book in a day 🙈

Absolute favorites this month were #smallthingslikethese (full review on my grid), and #therethere

There, There was a previous bookclub book that I missed out on reading. It follows a large cast of Native American characters living in Oakland, California, all of whom are navigating challenges of identity and family before coming together at a pow wow. The writing is gorgeous and, even though there are lots of characters, each person feels like they are written in 3D.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the advanced audio copy of #whenamongcrows - I enjoyed this story (unsurprising as I think #veronicaroth writes such unique fiction) my only complaint is that I wish there was more of it.

I'm judging myself (and Gill 😈) for how much I enjoyed #forthefans ...

May Reads Ranked ⭐️
📖 Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
🎧 There, There - Tommy Orange
🎧 Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid
📖🎧 Beautiful World, Where Are You? - Sally Rooney
🎧 When Among Crows - Veronica Roth
📖 For the Fans - Nyla K.
📖 Second to the Right - T.S. Kinley

What was your favorite read in May?

#readingwrapup #mayreading #springreads #tbr #arc #netgalley #readersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #readinginstead

Not my favorite read of the year, but better than I was expecting.

I'm not a huge novella fan - I just feel like I can never fully fall in love with the characters in enough time for me to care about their stories by the end of the book. However, this one did a pretty good job on introducing us to the characters, making us understand their backstory and why they are the way that they are, and actually make me go "oh - I'm glad it ended up that way!" by the end.

Dymitr was an interesting character that actually had a pretty good plot line for being in a novella. We learn that he descends from a family of monster hunters, that he is (and has always been) conflicted about killing monsters just because they aren't human, and that he wants to visit Baba Jaga. That alone makes for an interesting story and boy did it fly by quick. I truly did like him as a character.

I didn't particularly like how quickly his relationships formed with Ala and Niko - it just didn't feel genuine. I liked them as characters, but it just felt like they grew to trust each other and care for each other far too quickly. That was what made it hard for me to suspend my disbelief.

I'm glad we're getting more Slavic stories rather than just our general Western European stories that we're so used to. Pretty easy to listen to via audiobook, so I would recommend it that way (also makes it easier to get pronunciations correct).

This story was shorter than I originally thought it would be but I enjoyed it. The world was interesting and the characters were really good. I also appreciated all of the narrators.

I tried to enjoy this book but the story just wasn't something that I'm interested in.

The narrators were great though.

*3.5/5*

Thank you to Macmillan for the audio copy!

I don't think I'm going to include a synopsis in my review because this story was short and fast-paced, so I don't want to unintentionally give anything away.

When I started listening to this, I honestly forgot what it was about, and I think that kind of peaked my interest even more. But I also didn't realize that it is a standalone novella. I wanted soooo much more from this story because I was so interested in the dynamics of the world and what it could hold. Like I said above, this story was very fast-paced, so if you weren't paying close attention, you could miss something important.

I rarely finish a book and not know what to talk about in my review, but I guess there's always a first! I liked the characters well enough, I just felt like I didn't get to know them very well. Their relationships felt pretty important to moving the story along, but they all felt like they were surface level, not a lot of depth into what was really driving them to work together. I just don't know. So that's why it's getting a 3.5 from me. I just really wanted more.

I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook experience. I liked that it had multiple narrators as it really helped this story come to life while listening. While it may be a novella, and therefore fairly short, it was still packed full of action. I found Dymitr, Ala and Niko to all be intriguing characters and wanted to know more about them. I liked watching how their relationship dynamics changed as the story went on.

Going into this book I had very little, if any, knowledge of Polish folklore so it really got me interested in it as well!

Overall, I had a good time with this audiobook and would definitely recommend it, especially if you enjoy stories based on folklore.

I loved this short novella with Slavic heritage and melancholy vibe. Even for a short book, you get attached to Ala and Dymitr. And as a cherry on the top, there is a twist ;) World building with magic and creatures, amazing writing, fast-pacing book made it almost perfect read. 4.5 stars. Book left me with desire to read more from this universe.
Thank you NetGalley for ARC.

I have mixed feelings about this novella:
It was very interesting to learn about a new culture's stories.
Some of the characters are unique and creative.
It's very short and many of the narrators were excellent

However...
The story felt more like an introduction for a new story.
The short length is good, but it means that there is no development of characters, and a lot of plot holes.
The plot is inconsistent - dragging in parts, and too fast in others.

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth is my favorite story involving Baba Jaga so far. Getting to listen to it as an audiobook was just the frosting on the cake. The audiobook was performed by a cast that included Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell and they did a fantastic job portraying the characters in this story. I wish When Among Crows had been longer than a novella, I loved the storytelling and wanted it to continue!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

This is an interesting story, I wouldn't say that it is fully developed but definitely a good teaser into this world that the fans love. I enjoyed the setting in a recognizable Chicago and also the WWII immigrant aspect, along with the conflicts of different people who were willing, ultimately, to help each other. We could all use more mercy and practice more mercy. Also, the magic was cool. I think those immersed in the books of the world will definitley get more out of this story, but it can also be enjoyed by the unintiated. The audio was well narrated.

On the lookout for a fantastic fantasy novella ? Here‘s my review for When Among Crows by @veronicaroth and it was an audiobook I loved. The combination of a Michigan setting, urban fantasy, Polish folklore, magical elements and the Baba Jaga just made this book for me.
When Among Crows was a fantastic novella. The novella-length book is packed full of action and adventure.
The book follows Dymitr and his quest to find Baba Jaga. He is introduced as someone of pure character but Dymitr comes from a family of monster hunters. Finding the Baba Jaga will not be possible unless he secures the help , of those he's used to hunting.
Dymitr allies himself with Ala, a fear eating zmora who suffers from a curse. Dymitr offers a trade beneficial to both: to help her break her curse if she helps him find Baba Jaga.
Along the way they team up with Niko, a strzygon that takes a liking to Dymitr but when the two „monsters“ learn that he has killed their kind things threaten to fall apart.

This was a great novella and a great audiobook. I would love for more books set in this realm.

The narration was fantastic- I loved my listening.

Ala, Dymitr, and Nico are taken on a journey through Chicago's supernatural underworld together to seek Baba Jaga and defeat the curse that is killing Ala.

I loved the strong Polish folklore elements of the novel. I found the magic and world fascinating, and I really hope this becomes a series because I want to read more about Dymitr, Ala, and Nico as well as the different factions of this world.

All three narrators did such a wonderful job bringing each character to life as well as each character's different level of comfort with speaking Polish.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn in from the first chapter, in which the reader is at once in Chicago while also part of a magical landscape within the city. The author describes real places in Chicago - the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary from which a forest guardian emerges, and the old and stirringly beautiful St. Stanislaus Church wherein a sacred fern is about to bloom, and then the story unfolds throughout the city, in true-to-life abandoned industrial areas as well as some of its character-filled neighborhoods. As a person who grew up just outside Chicago and still visits, I loved the depictions of the city infused with a darkling sort of magic.

Slavic folklore, and more particularly, Polish, is the root of the magic system in this book. Despite being a descendent of Polish and other Eastern European immigrants who settled around Chicagoland, I am only just becoming familiar with the folklore of this heritage. I appreciated how the author brought it to life so vividly.

The characters are strong and intriguing. The story centers on Dymitr, on a mysterious quest to find the powerful witch Baba Jaga. He encounters Ala, a cursed witch, and Niko, a sort of demon with his own motivations. Their adventures are fast-paced with suspense, and I enjoyed their character development and how their relationships change throughout.

The audiobook narrators Helen Laser, James Fouhey, Tim Campbell do an outstanding job bringing the characters' voices from page to ear. If you enjoy multi-cast audiobook productions, this one is worth checking out.

Overall, I found this novella an immersive read for how short it was. My one critique is that I wouldn't have minded if it was a whole novel to flesh out the plot and characters even more. I would definitely read more if it were to become a series.

Highly recommend for fans of folkloric tales, urban fantasy, magical realism, Chicago, queer romance, and stories of redemption.

I normally am not a fan of this type of mythology (Polish/Russian), especially if it’s an urban fantasy (my least fav type of fantasy setting), but I ending up liking this one! It was engaging and kept my interest and was a unique short story based around Polish myths and legends. Cute queer couple too.

🌈Queer rep: MM main couple