The Storm Crow

"I sucked in a lungful of cold air and let it out in a laugh, the thrill of the dive resounding through me like a thunderclap. I craved that feeling like starved lungs crave air, letting it fill me until I felt impossibly alive."-Kalyn Josephson, The Storm Crow-------------------------------------------------I was really, really excited to pick up this book. It took me forever to get my hands on it (now I'm angry at Book Depository, but Amazon came to my rescue). It took me about a day to finish this book & I really enjoyed it. I gave it a 3.5 out of 5 stars! It was a solid book but didn't blow my mind like I was expecting. Also have you SEEN the cover because it is gorgeous, especially naked--I'm in love & will be taking pictures of this book forever.The Storm Crow to me was a story of mental health. Which was not what I expected when I picked it up. Of course, there were magical crows and war--but the story truly focuses on Anthia (the main character) and her struggles. Anthia struggles with depression after her kingdom (Rhodaire) has been torn apart.//let's get into it--what's it about?The Storm Crow begins in the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire. A kingdom filled with magical, elemental crows woven into nearly every aspect of daily life. However one day, on what is supposed to be a celebrated day--with the arrival of baby crows--The Illucian Empire sneaks into the kingdom. The Illucians destroy all hope for Rhodaire and decimate their culture-their crows.After the loss of not only the crows, but those she cares about Princess Anthia is thrust into a pit of depression and despair--barely eating or leaving her room. Thia's older sister, Caliza takes charge in this time holding the war-torn land of Rhodaire together barely.Caliza needs to forge alliances, her people are starving and Rhodaire no longer has the resources to defend itself without the crows. Caliza is forced to agree to marriage between Thia and Ericen, the Crown Prince of Illucia, in order to prevent another attack.Ericen's arrival forces Thia to fight and pull herself out of her depression. It is not an easy process, but day by day she pulls herself out of it.All hope is not lost before leaving for Illucia Thia finds a surving crow egg. With the egg in their arsenal, Thia and Caliza form a plan to stop Illucia & in the process discover a secret that could change everything.//time to chat about magic & worldbuildingThe worldbuilding is well done in this novel. The cultures and customs of the kingdoms represented were clearly shared and interesting.Illucia is a harsh kingdom (or Empire I guess), each citizen a warrior in their own right. Illucian citizens are never found without a weapon and are always always in competition with each other.We only get a small glimspe of life in Rhodaire before their way of life is destroyed. The crows were an integral part of life: staving on the heat, watering the fields, creating weapons. Rhodaire was a kingdom filled with joy and magic before its destruction. Josephson does an excellent job of representing a kingdom that has been destroyed. After the Illucian attack, the fields could no longer be maintained, weapons could no longer be made the same, and the people began to despise their rulers. In my opinion, while bleak--it was really amazing and brought a realistic quality to such a magical place.THE MAGIC oh my gosh it was so amazing! I neeeeeeed a crow of my own now. I want to fly through the skies on the back of a fantastical storm crow! There is an amazing bond between crows and their riders that grows the more time they spend together and allows for an amazing mental & magical communication. There are many different kinds of crows based on the elements and spy/battle needs! The crows are tied in with so much mythology and tradition & I found it so interesting. I also love the slow discovery of Thia's own magic. Along with a few other magical characters!"A fire crow opened its beak and let loose a stream of blue-tinged flames at a wind crow, which buffeted the fire upward toward a water crow, which doused it into steam with water from its beak. Sun crows lit the sky in ethereal gold, their glow fading into wisps like the light of falling stars. Shadow crows wove ribbons of night around them, creating intricate shimmering patterns."//the characters**anthia (mc)Anthia was a great character.She had spent her whole life fighting for approval, in becoming a rider and from her Mother. She did not take no for an answer and she was always fighting to be better.Until she stopped fighting. Until she allowed her depression after the attack to drag her down. Her pain swallowing up the girl she had been. Slowly, she transitioned back into the girl she used to be--in fact, becoming more...a woman.Thia is a stubborn and passionate person, with an extremely hot temper & loud mouth (often getting her into trouble). She wanted to help her people so badly, she was willing to put herself in danger & I really admired that.“For the longest time, I let these represent everything I lost, but I’m done. I won’t let my scars define me. Not anymore. From now on, they’re a symbol of what I have left to fight for. Of what I won’t let Illucia take from me.”**ericenI started off the book wanting to punch Ericen in the face. He represented everything we were supposed to hate in the novel. However, I realized he was so much more than that. He had his own struggles and he didn't fully agree with the actions his mother took.His banter was amazing and I loved how arrogant he was. Despite his arrogance, he was also so caring and understanding of Thia. He helped pull her out of the depression (in my opinion).Basically we love him & he deserves a great storyline."Could I really trust this boy, who was at once everything I had learned to hate and yet none of it at all?"**caylusCaylus was a cute little cinnamon bun and he should be protected at all costs. He was one of Thia's love interests (unfortunately I do not ship it). He is a curious, intelligent, and kind man & I hope we learn more about him in the next book.**kivaKiva, Thia's best-friend, is so supportive, patient, and understanding. She was Thia's shoulder to cry and sometimes Thia's kick in the butt. I love her so much & almost wish she had been the MC.**razelI hate her, I hate her so-so-so much. I can't wait for her to get squashed like a bug by Thia. Razel is manipulative and controlling--hateful, even towards her son. She is conquering the world, destroying all individual cultures around her. But she truly believes that she is self-righteous and blessing the world. Basically a delusional-evil queen...I am not a fan!//what i didn't enjoyThis story is soooo slow. There isn't a lot that happens except for in the beginning/end of the novel. I found myself waiting & wondering when something would actually happen. I really needed more action! The story was character-driven, but I didn't like the characters enough to enjoy the slow-pace.It really does read like a debut novel in my opinion. I'm hoping the next book has more action, cause I want to know what happens next & I love the crows!//wrap up timeThis is a good book, don't get me wrong. But, for me, that's all it was. It wasn't anything mind-blowing. I had really high hopes for it, so maybe that's why. The only aspect I truly fell in love with and still think about is the crows.I'd say give this book a try-but be ready for a slow-paced novel that depicts mental health. It's not a fast-paced YA fantasy about the magic of crows and going to war--maybe the second book will be more like that."Gone were the deep cries of earth crows and the shouts of children as the earth rumbled at a whim of the crow’s power. Gone were the feathers that would drift from the sky like fallen leaves, snatched from the air by young couples to wish upon.Gone was the world I knew, and I’d let it be taken."- xx Mia (@wldflowerbooks on Instagram)

The Storm Crow is one of those books I couldn’t put down. Thia’s battle with her emotions and her enemies is powerful and captivating. The action in this novel is beautifully written and full of fantastical elements. I became so engrossed in the world and characters that there were times I forgot I was in the real world and not in Thia’s world.The elemental crows were unique and fascinating and added a mystical touch to the story. Rhodaire’s crows are essential to their life and without them, the people have to learn how to perform simple tasks, such as growing crops. Life changes drastically for the people, and not just because the crows were lost; loved ones were lost, too, in the battle. To Thia, everything seems hopeless. All she sees is darkness and no light at the end; she doesn’t see how she can move on.One aspect of The Storm Crow I highly enjoyed seeing was how depression was openly discussed. Thia realizes early on that the destruction of her world as she knew it threw her into a deep and potentially dark depression. Throughout the story, Thia’s depression helps shape her character and starts to give her the strength she needs to overcome the past and save her kingdom and people. Thia’s depression battles are detailed to where the reader could feel and/or see Thia openly struggling. Her depression felt real and raw. She becomes a master in hiding her depression behind a fake smile, but those closest to her can see the past is eating her alive. I haven’t read many YA fantasy books that openly mention/discuss depression, so I was surprised that this became a key point in The Storm Crow. There’s so many readers that battle depression, and I know to some it’s important to see depression depicted, especially in fantasy. How Josephson address depression in her book really lays it out for the world to see and for everyone to understand that depression is not something you can easily shake off. Her depiction of depression was, overall, one of the main reasons I loved The Storm Crow.“I might be queen, but you were meant to be so much more. Crow or no crow, one way or another, you will fly. You were always meant to rule the sky.”Thia is a strong and emotional person. She knows she has to go to Illucia, the kingdom that attacked hers, to try to bring peace and save her people. Thia, at first, believes everything is lost; the fight she once had in her is gone, left behind in the rubble of the battle. But that all changes when Thia finds an unhatched storm crow egg. To Thia, this changes everything. Thia has a newfound hope to fight for her kingdom and people, all from within the palace walls of her enemy. But there’s just one slight problem: Thia doesn’t know how to hatch a crow egg. Nevertheless, Thia refuses to give up hope; she refuses to give up.The secondary characters in The Storm Crow were also what made this book a 5 star review for me. Her best friend and bodyguard, Kiva, share not just a best friend bond, but a sisterly bond. They’re relationship reminded me of my relationship with my best friend, and I love seeing those types of friendships depicted in fantasy stories. Kiva helps Thia battle her depression while staying in enemy territory. They’re not just best friends; they’re a team and both will do whatever it takes to see Queen Razel burn for her wrongdoings. Then there’s Caylus. Caylus is a soft yet incredibly smart and reliable friend to Thia; she trusts him so much that she relies on him to help her solve the hatching behind a crow egg.And, of course, there’s Prince Ericen. At first, he’s a terrible, cold-heartless person; he’s basically everything that makes a villain. But he slowly starts to show Thia a side he’s never shown anyone, not even his mother, the ruthless Queen Razel. Ericen wants to build a trusting relationship with Thia but Thia doesn’t quite know how that’s possible when he’s the son of the woman that killed her mother. He’s a well described character with an interesting backstory.“It was only you. Because I, like everyone, knew what you were.A delinquent?A storm. A tempest of lightning and thunder with the kind of heart found only in legends.”Josephson’s writing is captivating and compelling. She weaves words together to bring a magical and powerful story to light. Her description of the kingdoms and the characters is wonderfully well-written and very descriptive. Josephson also knows how to depict feelings and relationships really well. There was phenomenal character growth with Thia and her companions; Thia really starts to come into her own and grow as a person and fighter.All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Storm Crow. Josephson creates a world the reader can easily get lost in. If you enjoy an adventurous fantasy novel with lovable animals and relationships, then I definitely recommend reading The Storm Crow!

3.5 stars.Going into this book it started off as an 100% 5 star. I loved the banter between Thia and Ericen. I was intrigued by the story line and where it was going. Then it kind of took a turn for me and I started to get frustrated.Let me explain... I hate... and I mean HATE love triangles. I never ever really saw the reason for them. They don’t bring anything to a story but drama and annoyance which when reading an action pack and interesting story shouldn’t be needed. I was hard core loving/hating Ericen during the first part of this book. Then we get to the second part and it’s almost like he’s just forgotten about and tossed away and became a completely different person from what we saw in the first part of the book. I didn’t enjoy the romance between heroin and side character and I was totally disinterested in it, which was probably why many pages were skipped over during their parts together.I know it sounds like I despised this book but this isn’t the case. The romance, while it did grate on my nerves was only a small factor of the story line. I absolutely loved the rest of it. I loved the crows, I loved the side characters and world building. It was overall a great read. I read it in two days. So I would suggest grabbing this book and giving it a go. I will be reading the next book and I hope, prey and wish on my whole being that things go my way (being a little selfish with this one)

Does this book’s plot bring anything new and amazing to the table as far as fantasy concepts go?No.Does this book highlight mental health in the most positive way I’ve seen yet while still giving me a solid fantasy?Yes.I could connect with Anthia so much because of this, it’s a slow-moving story to start in a lot of ways due to its focus on her and handling her depression.The story is beautiful and raw and Josephson normalizes Thia’s depression in a way that doesn’t smooth it over or constantly portrays Thia as a victim.I really enjoyed the storyline and the concept of the crows and their magic. I now want to become a crow rider, though, I don’t see that happening unless I shrink to the size of Thumbelina in our nonmagical world lol.Josephson did a lovely job of worldbuilding and character development because even when Anthia is not in the midst of an episode of depression she still carries it with her, it doesn’t get ‘magicked’ away and I found that to be such an important factor.

The storyline and characters are so well developed and interesting- it kept me on the edge of my seat, I love how the characters vary but are unified

This book is amazing, it weaves a new element of fantasy into a undiscovered gem of a book. It is evenly paced with rich characters and a strong plot.Love, love, loved it

Book arrived in perfect condition! Very pleased with the fast delivery despite the difficulties with the pandemic.