When Among Crows;

Thank you @macmillanaudio #MacAudio2024 for my gifted copy.

I’ve never had a fast fantasy, and honestly, I now get why fantasy is like 400+ pages.

We go head first into the world, and you’re basically supposed to know exactly how the world works. I felt like this was a prequel or something, and I was missing a book, or six.

The part I really liked was the Slavic folklore. It was really twisty and I really enjoyed that aspect. Audio was great as well. Very well done with good pacing.

We jump in fast, we have an ending and I’m still confused on how that’s the end of the book? This definitely should have been like a prequel or at least 200+ more pages.

This had such promise, but did not hit the mark for me.

Out now.

QOTD: What are you reading now?

I absolutely loved this novella and the narration by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell. If I have any complaint (and it's barely a complaint), it's that the story was so short. However, it has plenty of atmosphere, character development, and interesting plot in such a short time. Dymitr, Ala, and Niko were all believable characters, and who doesn't love a cameo from Baba Yaga? The attention to folkloric detail and the magical elements of the story are the best part. There is no shying away from pain or gore, but it's not overly disgusting. I hope Veronica Roth writes more in this version of magic-touched modern Chicago; the door is certainly open and I would definitely be reading.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ALC.

When Among Crows | Veronica Roth

When I got the chance to listen to an arc of this little novella I jumpeddd!!

Veronica Roth wrote the Divergent Series which I absolutely loved. I think she’s since written others but she honestly hadn’t been on my radar for a bit.

This fantasy novella is a 4hr and 29 minute audiobook that is packed with new creatures, unlikely friendships, and a journey filled with discovery.

Honestly I was intrigued from the start- mostly because so many bits of information and world building were slowly leaking and I needed to know how it all fit together.

Sometimes I got confused but by the end I could understand the why’s and how’s and felt deeply for the sacrifice of the characters and it made for a powerful story of atonement.

I do think this could have done better as a full book- so information could become available to us more freely as the story unfolds. I might not have felt so confused with the world building at times or if this novella came in between a series- where we had already been introduced to the world where creatures and humans semi-coexist, I would have enjoyed it much more.

🎧 Excellent Narration from @macmillan.audio !! All the narrators did such a wonderful job. Each of the three main characters had their own narrator with excellent dictation. Thank you so much for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

For those who like vibes of ✨

🏢 Urban Fantasy
🐦‍⬛ Polish Folklore
🩸 Found Family
🗡️ Deadly Curses
🖤 Creatures living among humans
🩸 Redemption & Atonement

🌶️: No explicit scenes- there is a soft kiss with LGBTQ representation in chpt 6

Great narrators on this one!

It was slightly hard to follow on audio so I do recommend reading a text form of it. I liked the concept and it was definitely unique. The story could have been expanded and made longer though! It’s a shame it is a short novella. I loved the Polish folklore and words used in this as it made me feel closer to my heritage. Worth a shot if you’re interested in the summary!

3.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the multiple narrators included in When Among Crows by Veronica Roth. This was my first time reading/listening to a novel by Veronica Roth, and I think her storytelling and narrative techniques are strong because I felt very immersed in the world and like I was trailing along with the characters the whole time.

I liked this book more than I thought I would have and loved the narrators. Though I don't normally like an urban fantasy book, I liked that it invloved the fantasy in a modern city setting. If you loved Divergent, you will love this one! 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the published for the free audiobook of When Among Crows by Veronia Roth in exchange for my honest review.

I have absolutely unpopular opinions on this book. I had to weigh back and forth on how to take this book in. This had such great ingredients for a wonderful book - Slavic folklore, legendary witch Baba Jaga, fight against time, fight against an underworld, modern times - all sounded extremely phenomenal, right? Unfortunately, this flatlined for me.

The writing and the dialogue was simply okay, none of it really reeled me in, which was disappointing when it seemed like the characters were going through major things. I was confused most of the time and had to keep reminding myself - wait, this is modern time. Okay, ancient characters in modern time. Okay, this guy wants to do this. Okay, Ala is so-and-so. But then...what just happened? Nothing stuck and as the book went on, the interest started to ween off. Beautiful cover and a great base line for a story, but too bad the story was mostly bland and barely moved.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and MacMillan Audio for the copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ LIKED - would recommend
Spice: 🫑 NONE
Genre: Slavic Folktale

What if the monsters our parents warned us about were real? Veronica Roth’s modern fairytale transports readers to that frightening reality. Her tale is centered around Dymitr, a human with a secret; Ala, a zmora living on fear; and Niko, a stryzga that feeds on anger. Their unlikely alliance is formed when Dymitr offers Ala a boon for her help finding Baba Yaga. They begin a heroic journey through the underbelly of Chicago’s hidden creatures. Dymitr’s motive in meeting Baba Yaga may just be what kills them all.

This was a beautifully written novella. I was transported to a world filled with creatures and magic. The story felt a bit rushed, though. I was not given enough time to become invested in the characters or their relationships. I hope we learn more about this world and its inhabitants a in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What can be better than a Polish inspired folklore novella? One that takes place in Chicago, you say? Luckily, this one is Polish/Slavic folklore inspired in a Chicagoan setting! I absolutely loved this novel. This is a short, but deep quest for redemption and atonement. Dimitr is trying to find Baba Jaga. To get to Baba Jaga, Dimitr has a series of obstacles to overcome. Along the way, he gets help from Niko and Ala. Baba Jaga offers him more than just redemption and atonement. This story is deep and powerful. I really loved the narrators for the audiobook version. The accents are amazing.

My favorite part: the knights who are able to have bone swords as part of their souls, the folklore - I love the start of this novel with it - it’s intense but so captivating!!!

Fun, quick, and breathtaking, this fast-paced modern fantasy will capture your heart! I only wish it was a little longer so we could spend more time with these characters 💖

This was a fun urban fantasy novella that had excellent world building. I love that it centered on Polish mythology! I feel like we don't see many books that are willing to branch out into different cultures mythologies and I really enjoyed that this title did!

This was a short urban fantasy that I listened/read through twice before writing this review. That seems to be my theme this month. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Laser, James Fouhey and Tim Campbell. I think audiobook listeners that enjoy a full cast narration with animated creature voices and authentic accents will enjoy this format. They did a fantastic job. However, I found it distracting. I think the more sedate voices in my head work better for me at times.

The story picks up with the character of Dymitr who is on a quest to seek out Baba Jaga for a purpose that he keeps to himself for most of the book. He looks for assistance from Ala to set up the meeting. Ala is the recipient of a curse that is passed down through her family and since the deaths, or rather murders, of other females in her family, the curse now possesses her. Dymitr offers her a possible cure for her help. They are also joined on their journey by Nico who has the connections to get them an audience with Baba Jaga. Dymitr sometimes flashes back to his upbringing and the family who raised him, gradually revealing his purpose as the story progresses.

I really enjoyed the setting of a fantasy Chicago and the Polish mythology. I was familiar with one of the mythological creature in this story from a recent T Kingfisher short and enjoyed seeing it again. I loved the themes of found family and atonement. I do feel like this story just skimmed the surface of the world and the characters. I wanted more when I reached the end. I would definitely read another book set in this world and would love a further exploration of these characters or see them on another adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Books and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

#whenamongcrows #MacAudio2024 #bookstagram #fantasy #fantasybooks #fantasyreads

This was a little more out there than I expected. If you like super natural than it definitely would be something to read. It was just a little too much for me.

I’m not normally a big reader of novellas but this one took me by STORM! I loved the character work and the infusion of folklore/mythology. It’s been a long time since I read a Veronica Roth book, but I will certainly be picking up any future fantasy titles from her!

Finding Slavic folklore tales is not easy. I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Dmitry having to ally with an enemy and Ala having to trust in someone else to help her break from the curse. It just felt to rushed. Usually I am a fan of shorter books, but I felt that it wasn't very flushed out and rushed. I didn't have any connection to the characters and had to re listen alot to try and understand.
Then the fact it takes place in Chicago was out of left field. It was like an old story and someone said put it in the U.S. and it just didn't mesh well.
The audio book was good and I enjoyed the narrators.

When Among Crows packs a punch in a short amount of time. This novella tells the story of Dymitr who is on a mission to find the legendary Baba Jaga. In order to find her, he enlists the help of Ala and Nic, who both have their own reasons for helping on his quest. They are racing time and the hunters that seek to destroy those who aren’t human.

I have to be honest, loved this so much more than I expected to. The story and characters were so compelling and endearing to me, and the themes about pain and grief, love and forgiveness, and even familial expectations were so powerful. I enjoyed the lore and didn’t find that it was distracting when I was learning about things I hadn’t heard before.

I absolutely recommend this!! I listened on audio, but I truly think any medium would be great.

Sweeping and beautiful, the lyricism of the prose in this book shines when brought to like by the narrator. A quick read, the perfect mental treat for a rainy afternoon, I was too wrapped up in this story to do anything other than listen.

This urban fantasy with multi POVs is a beautifully woven story steeped in rich Slavic lore with characters you grow to like quickly.
A very fast paced and easy to get into world of humans, creatures, and humans who have crazy bone swords that hunt creatures.
I really enjoyed the pace and how easy it was to get sucked into this story. Perfect for getting out of a reading slump or for a weekend you want to quickly binge an exciting story. This story also had a surprisingly cute ending that I was not expecting and left me feeling very satisfied with the shorter story.
If you liked the vibes of the show Lost Girl, I think you'd like this story. It's different, but has similar vibes and the core of creatures blending in amongst humans trying to live their lives and be who they are without getting killed.
Beautifully written and exciting to read, highly recommend.

Audiobook is really good, nice to listen too and added to the richness of the story.

"When Among Crows " by Veronica Roth is a Slavic folktale and Urban fantasy novella set in modern-day Chicago. I really liked this one!

The characters are written clearly, and there is good action and a clear plot. Baba Jaga, the most powerful witch, figures heavily in this story. Dymitr is the main character, a human who learns as a young child from his grandmother how to identify Zmor and Stryga, among other non-human creatures.

Ala is a Zmora with a family bloodline curse, but she can blend in with the humans pretty well. Niko is another important character, but it's better not to tell much about him yet.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 35/8 = 4.375, 4 stars

The narration is excellent with multiple narrators: Helen Laser, James Fouhy, and Tim Campbell. The audiobook is 4 hrs 38 min at speed 1.0.

It really is better to go into this without much info. on the plot. There is some blood and pain that is plot relevant. I highly recommend this book to people who like short fantasies, especially Slavic ones.

Oh yes, and OMG! I didn't realize until after reading (and loving it!) that it's by the same author who wrote the Divergent series. I loved that series!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, Tor Books, and Veronica Roth for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I love a story with folklore elements. And this was short and sweet. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. I liked the characters and the narrators did a great job.