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In the Hour of Crows
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 backwater ways when they don’t.
Weatherly’s cousin Adaire also has a gift, she’s a Scryer and can see the future reflected back in dark surfaces. Right before she is killed in an accident, Adaire saw something unnerving, and that’s why Weatherly believes she was murdered—never thinking for a moment that it was an accident. But when Weatherly, for the first time, is unable to talk the death out of the mayor’s son, the whole town suspects she is out for revenge, that she wouldn’t save him.
With the help of clues Adaire left behind and her family’s Granny Witch recipe box, Weatherly sets out to find the truth behind her cousin’s death, whatever it takes.
Imbued with magic, witchery, and suspense, Dana Elmendorf’s In the Hour of Crows is a thrilling tale of friendship, identity, and love.
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 backwater ways when they don’t.
Weatherly’s cousin Adaire also has a gift, she’s a Scryer and can see the future reflected back in dark surfaces. Right before she is killed in an accident, Adaire saw something unnerving, and that’s why Weatherly believes she was murdered—never thinking for a moment that it was an accident. But when Weatherly, for the first time, is unable to talk the death out of the mayor’s son, the whole town suspects she is out for revenge, that she wouldn’t save him.
With the help of clues Adaire left behind and her family’s Granny Witch recipe box, Weatherly sets out to find the truth behind her cousin’s death, whatever it takes.
Imbued with magic, witchery, and suspense, Dana Elmendorf’s In the Hour of Crows is a thrilling tale of friendship, identity, and love.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
164 people are currently reading
23248 people want to read
About the author
Dana Elmendorf
3 books272 followersDana Elmendorf was born and raised in a small town in Tennessee. She now lives in Southern California with her family. After four years of college and an assortment of jobs, she wrote a book. She is the author of IN THE HOUR OF CROWS a GMA Buzz Pick and GRAVE BIRDS coming July 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 455 reviews
August 6, 2024
. . . folklore is stronger than science around here.
Weatherly has the power to suck the death out of people, but she wasn't there to help when her cousin died in an accident.
Or . . . was her cousin murdered?
What happened was an "accident."
What anyone has yet to explain to me is how you "accidentally" drive over someone twice.
I thought I was going to LOVE this book, yet I found it oddly uncompelling. Weatherly never seemed like a living, breathing person to me - she was just a tool to move the plot around.
The satisfying ending made me almost change my rating, but remembering how many times I almost quit reading makes me leave it at three stars.
Weatherly has the power to suck the death out of people, but she wasn't there to help when her cousin died in an accident.
Or . . . was her cousin murdered?
What happened was an "accident."
What anyone has yet to explain to me is how you "accidentally" drive over someone twice.
I thought I was going to LOVE this book, yet I found it oddly uncompelling. Weatherly never seemed like a living, breathing person to me - she was just a tool to move the plot around.
The satisfying ending made me almost change my rating, but remembering how many times I almost quit reading makes me leave it at three stars.
January 27, 2025
⭐️4⭐️
In the Hour of Crows
Plot:
Weatherly is a "Death Talker” who can save lives by talking death out of the dying, but at a cost. After her cousin Adaire’s mysterious death and a failed attempt to save the mayor's son, Weatherly digs into the dark secrets of her town to uncover the truth behind the deaths, using clues left by Adaire and her Granny Witch recipe box.
My Thoughts:
This was written well, it almost felt real. The narrative flowed effortlessly, blending the magical with the modern in a way that made it easy to get lost in.
While it didn’t have you on the edge of your seat, it had more of a cozy, inviting vibe that made you want to stay a while. Weatherly’s dedication to uncovering the truth and her deep connection to her gifts really pulled me in.
Overall an easy enjoyable read.
In the Hour of Crows
Plot:
Weatherly is a "Death Talker” who can save lives by talking death out of the dying, but at a cost. After her cousin Adaire’s mysterious death and a failed attempt to save the mayor's son, Weatherly digs into the dark secrets of her town to uncover the truth behind the deaths, using clues left by Adaire and her Granny Witch recipe box.
My Thoughts:
This was written well, it almost felt real. The narrative flowed effortlessly, blending the magical with the modern in a way that made it easy to get lost in.
While it didn’t have you on the edge of your seat, it had more of a cozy, inviting vibe that made you want to stay a while. Weatherly’s dedication to uncovering the truth and her deep connection to her gifts really pulled me in.
Overall an easy enjoyable read.
June 16, 2024
When this book promised magic, witchery and suspense in Appalachia; I was immediately on board.
I ended up being frustrated and confused for the majority of the book. The characters are underdeveloped and unlikeable. The plot was difficult to follow and left me unsatisfied and confused. The story would also go back in time with little to no indication that it was happening.
My biggest issue with the book is that the motive that the murderer has, doesn’t make any sense. It was not believable, and the buildup was for nothing.
Was there southern witchy vibes? Yes! If you want to read for vibes only and don’t really care about the plot making sense, then maybe check this one out.
I ended up being frustrated and confused for the majority of the book. The characters are underdeveloped and unlikeable. The plot was difficult to follow and left me unsatisfied and confused. The story would also go back in time with little to no indication that it was happening.
My biggest issue with the book is that the motive that the murderer has, doesn’t make any sense. It was not believable, and the buildup was for nothing.
Was there southern witchy vibes? Yes! If you want to read for vibes only and don’t really care about the plot making sense, then maybe check this one out.
December 29, 2024
I'm disappointed.
I was really intrigued by the idea of someone being able to coax death from people, however the delivery of this idea just didn't work for me. Unrealistic dialogue plagues the pages and the characters couldn't decide if they wanted to be real or not. There was a lot more telling than showing, which was more prominent towards the end where I felt as though I hadn't seen enough instances on the page to warrant the venom being delivered.
Weatherly was a frustrating protagonist to follow and I wish we had gotten Rook's story instead. He at least would have been interesting. Or maybe Adaire? Someone who potentially foresaw their own death would be a more interesting protagonist than the one we got.
Weatherly was dull, to put it bluntly. She's set up like an interesting character, and is stubborn and impulsive to boot, but she's just very grating to read. And she just cannot decide what she should be feeling at any given moment. And honestly neither do I. The emotions in this book were just about nonexistent, even Weatherly's grief for Adaire didn't feel solid. I was just told and expected to believe that she was grieving.
Unfortunately, I was bored through most of it, and when I wasn't bored, I was annoyed. Most of all, I'm just disappointed. I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I was really intrigued by the idea of someone being able to coax death from people, however the delivery of this idea just didn't work for me. Unrealistic dialogue plagues the pages and the characters couldn't decide if they wanted to be real or not. There was a lot more telling than showing, which was more prominent towards the end where I felt as though I hadn't seen enough instances on the page to warrant the venom being delivered.
Weatherly was a frustrating protagonist to follow and I wish we had gotten Rook's story instead. He at least would have been interesting. Or maybe Adaire? Someone who potentially foresaw their own death would be a more interesting protagonist than the one we got.
Weatherly was dull, to put it bluntly. She's set up like an interesting character, and is stubborn and impulsive to boot, but she's just very grating to read. And she just cannot decide what she should be feeling at any given moment. And honestly neither do I. The emotions in this book were just about nonexistent, even Weatherly's grief for Adaire didn't feel solid. I was just told and expected to believe that she was grieving.
Unfortunately, I was bored through most of it, and when I wasn't bored, I was annoyed. Most of all, I'm just disappointed. I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
August 6, 2024
Interesting read and audiobook. I haven't read anything quite like this book yet so it's a unique idea. The narrator did a good job.
This story followed Weatherly. She can talk to death so that death can leave someone's body and go into hers. But her body doesn't have cancer or any sickness so she vomit death out. She has saved many lives. Some neighbors called her blessed while others don't think kindly of her. She doesn't have a good childhood. Her mom left her to be raised by her grandma and she doesn't know her dad.
Weatherly publicly had a disagreement with this man and then his son ended up dead where she couldn't rescue him then he ended up dead where it seems to point to her as being the killer. Her cousin and best friend was dead at the start that caused her disagreement with that man but being powerful that he was in town the police refused to investigate so she took matters into her own hands. After all, she also needs to prove that she didn't kill that man.
There were good twists with a tragic love story behind it all.
Thank you HTPHive for the opportunity to read and review. I listened to an audiobook via Libby App.
This story followed Weatherly. She can talk to death so that death can leave someone's body and go into hers. But her body doesn't have cancer or any sickness so she vomit death out. She has saved many lives. Some neighbors called her blessed while others don't think kindly of her. She doesn't have a good childhood. Her mom left her to be raised by her grandma and she doesn't know her dad.
Weatherly publicly had a disagreement with this man and then his son ended up dead where she couldn't rescue him then he ended up dead where it seems to point to her as being the killer. Her cousin and best friend was dead at the start that caused her disagreement with that man but being powerful that he was in town the police refused to investigate so she took matters into her own hands. After all, she also needs to prove that she didn't kill that man.
There were good twists with a tragic love story behind it all.
Thank you HTPHive for the opportunity to read and review. I listened to an audiobook via Libby App.
June 12, 2024
**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝑬𝒍𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒇
Release Date: June 6, 2023
5⭐️0🌶
This book is perfect for all fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, The Coven, Practical Magic, and Fried Green Tomatoes. This book brought me to the wilds of the Appalachian mountains, where the magic of the deep mountains runs strong in Weatherly Wilder’s family. Her grandmother is a local Granny Witch, and she spends younger days making house calls with her Aunt and Granny to remove the bad magic from people's souls. Souls sing to her when they're dying, and she is able to pull the death from them before they die. She's can also see spirits and souls who haunt the Appalachian mountains. The house calls don't make them much money, but it keeps them out of poverty.
They are well and good living the simple life until Weatherly's beloved cousin is hit by a car. The man driving the car gets away with it, because he is family friends with the judge.
Weatherly is determined to get justice for her cousin.
A big thank you to @netgalley for approving me for this ARC!
Release Date: June 6, 2023
5⭐️0🌶
This book is perfect for all fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, The Coven, Practical Magic, and Fried Green Tomatoes. This book brought me to the wilds of the Appalachian mountains, where the magic of the deep mountains runs strong in Weatherly Wilder’s family. Her grandmother is a local Granny Witch, and she spends younger days making house calls with her Aunt and Granny to remove the bad magic from people's souls. Souls sing to her when they're dying, and she is able to pull the death from them before they die. She's can also see spirits and souls who haunt the Appalachian mountains. The house calls don't make them much money, but it keeps them out of poverty.
They are well and good living the simple life until Weatherly's beloved cousin is hit by a car. The man driving the car gets away with it, because he is family friends with the judge.
Weatherly is determined to get justice for her cousin.
A big thank you to @netgalley for approving me for this ARC!
June 4, 2024
IN THE HOUR OF CROWS is a Southern gothic murder mystery with magical realism set in the small town of Black Fern, Georgia in the Appalachias. This is character driven and heavily atmospheric.. exploring themes of family/small town life, love, death/grief, secrets, deception and prejudice.
Weatherly Wilder has the gift - - or curse depending how you view it - - of being a Death Talker with the ability to make Sin Eater Oil; -she can rid death of those knocking at deaths door. Her cousin Adaire is a Scryer, she has the gift of seeing into the future, although it’s cloudy.
Three days before Adaire has a fatal accident she tells Weatherly something puzzling she sees.. with neither understanding what it is. After Adaire’s death Weatherly seeks to solve what she knows was a crime, while trying to make sense of what Adaire’s premonition meant. She questions why anyone would want to kill her cousin.. while putting herself in danger to find the answer.
This is a big departure from the genre’s I normally read so I found it a bit hard to follow in places. I enjoyed learning about Appalachian folklore, with both the mystery and magical elements behind the story keeping my curiosity peaked. Great ending.. Elmendorf is so sneaky.. I just loved what she did there with Rook! ☺️ 4 stars — Pub. 6/4/24
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Weatherly Wilder has the gift - - or curse depending how you view it - - of being a Death Talker with the ability to make Sin Eater Oil; -she can rid death of those knocking at deaths door. Her cousin Adaire is a Scryer, she has the gift of seeing into the future, although it’s cloudy.
Three days before Adaire has a fatal accident she tells Weatherly something puzzling she sees.. with neither understanding what it is. After Adaire’s death Weatherly seeks to solve what she knows was a crime, while trying to make sense of what Adaire’s premonition meant. She questions why anyone would want to kill her cousin.. while putting herself in danger to find the answer.
This is a big departure from the genre’s I normally read so I found it a bit hard to follow in places. I enjoyed learning about Appalachian folklore, with both the mystery and magical elements behind the story keeping my curiosity peaked. Great ending.. Elmendorf is so sneaky.. I just loved what she did there with Rook! ☺️ 4 stars — Pub. 6/4/24
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 12, 2024
“In the hour of crows” follows 24 year old Weatherly, some kind of witch, or “Demon spawn” as some town folk would refer to her.
She has the ability of a “death talker”, to help bring back people from the brink of death, but others seek to use her gifts for evil, to which she gets the blame for.
Her cousin was recently killed and she is determined to get to the bottom of her death and seek justice by following clues, rhymes and future predictions left by her deceased cousin.
This book was definitely uniquely interesting with a vast cast of characters. What I did think the plot was missing was more information on Weatherlys gifts and how her powers came to be.
The beginning starts off a little confusing but once it skips to the events unfolding in present day it’s easy to get a grasp on things.
I somewhat enjoyed this book however other parts where just a bit to whimsical for me. A lot of inner dialogue, descriptions and poetical metaphors, not my preferred writing style but I’m sure others would love it for that reason.
Thank you to Dana Elmendorf, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the EARC.
Pub date: June 4th 2024
She has the ability of a “death talker”, to help bring back people from the brink of death, but others seek to use her gifts for evil, to which she gets the blame for.
Her cousin was recently killed and she is determined to get to the bottom of her death and seek justice by following clues, rhymes and future predictions left by her deceased cousin.
This book was definitely uniquely interesting with a vast cast of characters. What I did think the plot was missing was more information on Weatherlys gifts and how her powers came to be.
The beginning starts off a little confusing but once it skips to the events unfolding in present day it’s easy to get a grasp on things.
I somewhat enjoyed this book however other parts where just a bit to whimsical for me. A lot of inner dialogue, descriptions and poetical metaphors, not my preferred writing style but I’m sure others would love it for that reason.
Thank you to Dana Elmendorf, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the EARC.
Pub date: June 4th 2024
June 10, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of In The Hour of Crows in exchange for review! Set in the Appalachian South, In The Hour of Crows is a southern gothic that follows Weatherly Wilder as she seeks to uncover the truth behind her beloved cousin’s murder.
Weatherly is a Death Talker—someone who can use secret Bible verses to convince death to leave a person by entering her instead. The result is that she coughs up a Sin Eater Oil, a black mucous that can be used to create spells both benevolent and malevolent. This blend of religion, spiritual, and folklore was what first drew me to this book. It created a wonderfully eerie atmosphere that felt very grounded in its culture and setting. The writing also had a haunting quality; there were many times throughout my reading experience when my scalp was prickling.
The characters in this tale were also very well done; even the ones I hated, I loved to hate. Weatherly lives with her grandmother, a cruel family tyrant who uses Weatherly’s gift for “God” and her own selfish ends. Weatherly is also aided by Rook, a man she brought back from the dead when they were both children. In return for his borrowed days, Rook spends much of his time trapped as a crow, becoming human only when Weatherly is unable to save one of her death-talking patients. Then he returns to her to help the departed soul crossover. He was a wonderfully tragic figure, and I especially enjoyed the uncertainty he posed for Weatherly’s reality. Indeed, a motif throughout the book was this question of what is real and what isn’t; it added to the sense of mystery and atmosphere in a compelling way.
Along similar lines, I also loved Weatherly’s character arc. The author did a wonderful job of blending her quest for the truth about her cousin’s death with a journey of self-discovery. While this isn’t quite a coming-of-age narrative, it certainly depicts a person wrestling through questions of family, faith, identity, trauma, and freedom. Even being a relatively short book, there were a number of poignant emotional beats that were moving for their subtlety.
Overall, while the events of the story relied on a number of expected murder mystery tropes, I was engrossed by the gripping prose and haunting blend of magic and religion. The town of Black Fern almost felt like a character in and of itself, and seemed to shape the story as much as Weatherly herself. If you’re looking for a quick read that is dark and eerie, yet hopeful, I would highly recommend this to you!
Weatherly is a Death Talker—someone who can use secret Bible verses to convince death to leave a person by entering her instead. The result is that she coughs up a Sin Eater Oil, a black mucous that can be used to create spells both benevolent and malevolent. This blend of religion, spiritual, and folklore was what first drew me to this book. It created a wonderfully eerie atmosphere that felt very grounded in its culture and setting. The writing also had a haunting quality; there were many times throughout my reading experience when my scalp was prickling.
The characters in this tale were also very well done; even the ones I hated, I loved to hate. Weatherly lives with her grandmother, a cruel family tyrant who uses Weatherly’s gift for “God” and her own selfish ends. Weatherly is also aided by Rook, a man she brought back from the dead when they were both children. In return for his borrowed days, Rook spends much of his time trapped as a crow, becoming human only when Weatherly is unable to save one of her death-talking patients. Then he returns to her to help the departed soul crossover. He was a wonderfully tragic figure, and I especially enjoyed the uncertainty he posed for Weatherly’s reality. Indeed, a motif throughout the book was this question of what is real and what isn’t; it added to the sense of mystery and atmosphere in a compelling way.
Along similar lines, I also loved Weatherly’s character arc. The author did a wonderful job of blending her quest for the truth about her cousin’s death with a journey of self-discovery. While this isn’t quite a coming-of-age narrative, it certainly depicts a person wrestling through questions of family, faith, identity, trauma, and freedom. Even being a relatively short book, there were a number of poignant emotional beats that were moving for their subtlety.
Overall, while the events of the story relied on a number of expected murder mystery tropes, I was engrossed by the gripping prose and haunting blend of magic and religion. The town of Black Fern almost felt like a character in and of itself, and seemed to shape the story as much as Weatherly herself. If you’re looking for a quick read that is dark and eerie, yet hopeful, I would highly recommend this to you!
June 2, 2024
I really enjoyed In the Hour of Crows. The story's premise and characters caught by interest right from Chapter 1 and maintained it until the end. I thought the world building for the magical realism/fantasy elements in the tale were nicely handled, with information slowly filtering through the text as needed. Weatherly's development throughout the story was also beautifully told. I had thought I was going to experience a little shimmer of disappointment at the end, but then a fun twist in the final pages set things to right for me. Overall, I am giving this book 4.5 stars and I recommend it to fans of fantasy with a lighter touch but an occasional dark edge.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2023
IN THE HOUR OF CROWS has everything I love in a good southern gothic--family drama, earthy magic married with religion, and a sense of coiling, visceral dread. Elmendorf's small Georgia town is both stifling and sensual, filled with characters so realistic you'll swear you've met them before. Enchanting, gritty, and impossible to put down.
I also loved the ‘80s nostalgia in this book. That cave scene!
I also loved the ‘80s nostalgia in this book. That cave scene!
July 2, 2025
The first sentence of this book is an absolute winner:
I was born in the hour of crows, when the day is no longer but the night is not yet.
There is witchiness, magic, black glop, friendship, love, a grouchy granny, and a girl named Weatherly. A perfect name, but it took me some time to get around this main character. Plenty of mysterious happenings, and my favorite part is the one you and I cannot talk about, Dear Reader. But I can tell you I loved how the book started, and loved how it ended.
*A sincere thank you to Dana Elmendorf, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #IntheHourofCrows #NetGalley 25|52:18e
I was born in the hour of crows, when the day is no longer but the night is not yet.
There is witchiness, magic, black glop, friendship, love, a grouchy granny, and a girl named Weatherly. A perfect name, but it took me some time to get around this main character. Plenty of mysterious happenings, and my favorite part is the one you and I cannot talk about, Dear Reader. But I can tell you I loved how the book started, and loved how it ended.
*A sincere thank you to Dana Elmendorf, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #IntheHourofCrows #NetGalley 25|52:18e
June 9, 2024
This was an interesting story and I really enjoyed the concept as a whole, but I am not a fan of religious trauma ie using religion as a weapon which is what happened to poor Weatherly.
July 1, 2025
A magical realism journey into the hills and hollers of Appalachia where folk magic abounds in this southern gothic murder mystery that's so packed full of eerie atmosphere that it'll leave you wondering what is real and what isn't.
Weatherly is a death talker - she can talk the death out of the dying. But only once, never twice. Her grandma is a Granny Witch. Weatherly's beloved cousin, Adaire, is a Scryer - she can see the future on the surface of a skillet. When Adaire sees something very unusual and incredibly unsettling in her skillet, and then dies not long after, Weatherly's hackles are raised. Weatherly is convinced it was no accident, and sets out to find the truth. In her search for truth and justice, Weatherly uncovers a lot more than she bargained for. Shocking secrets and twists that could upend everything.
The plot is so good! It's heavily atmospheric and I would say relies more on character development to move the plot along. It explores some heavier topics, like death/grief, deception, prejudice, family, and love. Elmendorf knocked it outta the park with that ending.
The prose is great, I love the way Elmendorf writes. It flows beautifully and really puts you into the setting. I read it via audiobook, and the narrator does a good job with the Appalachian accent and twang. However, since I didn't visually read it, I can't say if non-Appalachians might not like or understand the Appalachian English sprinkled throughout, or not. I'm an Appalachian, so I can't say if non-Appalachians would find some of the wording to be odd.
The characters are well fleshed out and dimensional. Elmendorf did a great job with them. All of the characters I either loved, or loved to hate.
If you like 'Practical Magic,' 'Where the Crawdads Sing,' and/or 'Friend Green Tomatoes' then I think you'll enjoy this one.
I loved 'In the Hour of Crows' and can't wait to read the next book Dana Elmendorf writes!
Weatherly is a death talker - she can talk the death out of the dying. But only once, never twice. Her grandma is a Granny Witch. Weatherly's beloved cousin, Adaire, is a Scryer - she can see the future on the surface of a skillet. When Adaire sees something very unusual and incredibly unsettling in her skillet, and then dies not long after, Weatherly's hackles are raised. Weatherly is convinced it was no accident, and sets out to find the truth. In her search for truth and justice, Weatherly uncovers a lot more than she bargained for. Shocking secrets and twists that could upend everything.
The plot is so good! It's heavily atmospheric and I would say relies more on character development to move the plot along. It explores some heavier topics, like death/grief, deception, prejudice, family, and love. Elmendorf knocked it outta the park with that ending.
The prose is great, I love the way Elmendorf writes. It flows beautifully and really puts you into the setting. I read it via audiobook, and the narrator does a good job with the Appalachian accent and twang. However, since I didn't visually read it, I can't say if non-Appalachians might not like or understand the Appalachian English sprinkled throughout, or not. I'm an Appalachian, so I can't say if non-Appalachians would find some of the wording to be odd.
The characters are well fleshed out and dimensional. Elmendorf did a great job with them. All of the characters I either loved, or loved to hate.
If you like 'Practical Magic,' 'Where the Crawdads Sing,' and/or 'Friend Green Tomatoes' then I think you'll enjoy this one.
I loved 'In the Hour of Crows' and can't wait to read the next book Dana Elmendorf writes!
April 20, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
this was a very immersive and atmospheric book. i don’t know much about appalachia, but author’s descriptions of the setting, the dialogue and characters, it all evokes this kind of southern familiarity almost everyone can recognize. dana elmendorf really makes readers feel like they’re steeped in muggy georgia air and dusty dirt roads.
the underlying mystery was also really well done in my opinion. i tend to theorize and guess at conclusions when i read anything remotely suspenseful and i couldn’t figure out the final twist for the life of me. it kept me engaged and wondering what would happen next.
there are some parts of the plot i found slightly confusing and a couple characters i kept getting mixed up. i did notice there were quite a few errors in the writing throughout the book as well, so i think it could definitely have gone through another round of editing to catch all of those. but overall i had very few qualms with this book, and had a great time reading it!
this was a very immersive and atmospheric book. i don’t know much about appalachia, but author’s descriptions of the setting, the dialogue and characters, it all evokes this kind of southern familiarity almost everyone can recognize. dana elmendorf really makes readers feel like they’re steeped in muggy georgia air and dusty dirt roads.
the underlying mystery was also really well done in my opinion. i tend to theorize and guess at conclusions when i read anything remotely suspenseful and i couldn’t figure out the final twist for the life of me. it kept me engaged and wondering what would happen next.
there are some parts of the plot i found slightly confusing and a couple characters i kept getting mixed up. i did notice there were quite a few errors in the writing throughout the book as well, so i think it could definitely have gone through another round of editing to catch all of those. but overall i had very few qualms with this book, and had a great time reading it!
May 27, 2024
Okayyy spooky 80s Appalachian vibes.. I like it, I like it 🐦⬛🖤
Little bit dark, little bit creepy, little bit murder mystery, little bit Appalachian folklore.. I can “dig” it 😉 I loved how this story unfolded and the unsettling, atmospheric vibes it just seeps. The little bit of magic woven into an otherwise typical small rural town is so good!
Weatherly can talk death out of dying and she is determined to find her cousin’s true killer, but family secrets, and her secrets, run deep.
The ending yall 🙌🏼 I loved it 🖤 and I’m gonna need Rook and Bone Layer to have their own stories 👀 lol
🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛
It admittedly took me a little bit to get into this book as it’s very different than anything I’ve been reading recently, but very neat story, really enjoyed it 🖤
Huge thank you to Dana Elmendorf, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read
⭐️4.5/5 🌶️0/5
Little bit dark, little bit creepy, little bit murder mystery, little bit Appalachian folklore.. I can “dig” it 😉 I loved how this story unfolded and the unsettling, atmospheric vibes it just seeps. The little bit of magic woven into an otherwise typical small rural town is so good!
Weatherly can talk death out of dying and she is determined to find her cousin’s true killer, but family secrets, and her secrets, run deep.
The ending yall 🙌🏼 I loved it 🖤 and I’m gonna need Rook and Bone Layer to have their own stories 👀 lol
🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛
It admittedly took me a little bit to get into this book as it’s very different than anything I’ve been reading recently, but very neat story, really enjoyed it 🖤
Huge thank you to Dana Elmendorf, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read
⭐️4.5/5 🌶️0/5
June 29, 2024
Murder, witches, and southern gothic vibes. This is just the kind of book I love the most. It was atmospheric and magical. The mystery at the heart of the story was a little predictable, but it was still very entertaining.
The author does a fantastic job of bringing Weatherly's emotions and grief to life. You can truly feel her anger and helplessness about the situation. Her cousin Adair's death is the catalyst that sets in motion the events of the book and drives everything that Weatherly does. The conclusion was satisfying, and the way the ending was wrapped up was enjoyable.
This was a beautifully written magical realism novel that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The author does a fantastic job of bringing Weatherly's emotions and grief to life. You can truly feel her anger and helplessness about the situation. Her cousin Adair's death is the catalyst that sets in motion the events of the book and drives everything that Weatherly does. The conclusion was satisfying, and the way the ending was wrapped up was enjoyable.
This was a beautifully written magical realism novel that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 10, 2024
★★★.5
I enjoyed this book for its vibes, the mystery, and the fact that it was a short read. I believe it is already good enough as it is. The last chapter and the epilogue were my favorites.
I enjoyed this book for its vibes, the mystery, and the fact that it was a short read. I believe it is already good enough as it is. The last chapter and the epilogue were my favorites.
January 3, 2025
I guess low on plot and high on vibes in a desolated wooded area witchy books with a soft but definitely there magic system are my thing now?
May 9, 2025
Weatherly lives in a small town in Appalachia with her grandmother. Weatherly has a rare gift to talk death out of someone, but only once. Weatherly's family is very poor, but Weatherly is proud. Weatherly's cousin, Adaire, also has a gift to glimpse the future. When Adaire dies in a car accident right after a cryptic future glimpse, Weatherly instantly knows that there is more to Adaire's death. Would Weatherly be able to find out the truth?
When I read the synopsis, it sounded magical, and I decided to read this. As a premise, I cannot emphasise how truly unique this is. When I started reading this, I knew I was going to love this. I kept turning the pages at first, but soon the story halted, and I didn't feel like picking it back up as the execution fell short in so many aspects.
Weatherly believes that Adaire left some clues surrounding her death and follows those clues. Bit by bit, things are revealed. We see how amazing the bond between these two cousins was. At times, I loved following the clues; at other times, I felt the clues were confusing. There is some back story about Weatherly and her family, too. I suspected the truth from the beginning, to be honest.
The things that I loved were the setting of the beautiful mountains of Appalachia. This was breathtaking. I also loved the magical realism woven into the story. I loved the friendships and relationships.
I think one of the biggest letdowns for me was the mystery shrouding Adaire's death and the clues that were left. Those clues were unnecessarily cryptic. They could have been much simpler, but the writer tried to make a mountain out of a molehill in this. Those clues were like going around in circles for no other reason than filling pages. It felt redundant and unengaging, which made it hard for me to pick it back up. But my love for the beautiful setting, and kept me going.
The writing was good, but the pacing was really slow. I liked how real all the characters seemed in this setting. I didn't mind Weatherly's character and her pov, though I didn't love her, but I loved her character journey. I also loved the satisfactory ending That cover is whimsical, too.
Even though my rating is somewhere in between, I would read if Dana Elmendorf ever decided to write more about because this book has oddly left me wanting more as I am writing this review. I would also like to read more of the writer's work.
3.25 - 3.5 stars
When I read the synopsis, it sounded magical, and I decided to read this. As a premise, I cannot emphasise how truly unique this is. When I started reading this, I knew I was going to love this. I kept turning the pages at first, but soon the story halted, and I didn't feel like picking it back up as the execution fell short in so many aspects.
Weatherly believes that Adaire left some clues surrounding her death and follows those clues. Bit by bit, things are revealed. We see how amazing the bond between these two cousins was. At times, I loved following the clues; at other times, I felt the clues were confusing. There is some back story about Weatherly and her family, too. I suspected the truth from the beginning, to be honest.
The things that I loved were the setting of the beautiful mountains of Appalachia. This was breathtaking. I also loved the magical realism woven into the story. I loved the friendships and relationships.
I think one of the biggest letdowns for me was the mystery shrouding Adaire's death and the clues that were left. Those clues were unnecessarily cryptic. They could have been much simpler, but the writer tried to make a mountain out of a molehill in this. Those clues were like going around in circles for no other reason than filling pages. It felt redundant and unengaging, which made it hard for me to pick it back up. But my love for the beautiful setting, and kept me going.
The writing was good, but the pacing was really slow. I liked how real all the characters seemed in this setting. I didn't mind Weatherly's character and her pov, though I didn't love her, but I loved her character journey. I also loved the satisfactory ending That cover is whimsical, too.
Even though my rating is somewhere in between, I would read if Dana Elmendorf ever decided to write more about because this book has oddly left me wanting more as I am writing this review. I would also like to read more of the writer's work.
3.25 - 3.5 stars
August 21, 2024
Weatherly Wilder lives in Appalachia and is what they call a "death talker". When someone is in need of her services she can talk the death out of them, thus saving their lives. However there is a caveat, she can only do this for someone once, but never more than that. While this gift is extremely special, it means that people only want her around when she's needed, but are scared of her when they don't.
Weatherly's cousin and best friend Adaire is also gifted with the ability to Scry, which allows her to see the future when looking at dark surfaces. Right before she's killed in an accident Weatherly witnesses her see something alarming and it causes her to believe that Adaire was actually murdered. Therefore, when Weatherly is unable to talk the death out of the mayor's son, she is accused of trying to get revenge by not saving him on purpose.
Determined to prove that she's right about Adaire's death, Weatherly uses the clues she left beheld and her family's witchy recipe box to start her own investigation.
In the Hour of Crows appealed to me because I love a good witchy book. Unfortunately, the book was a little too slow of a burn for me. I felt like I wasn't fully interested in what was happening until about 80% . However, the end was fantastic! Once we got to the 80% mark things rapidly picked up and I was completely engaged and wondering what was going to happen next. I only wish the entire book was paced more like this.
Despite the pacing I do what to say that I loved the characters. Weatherly, Adaire (there were flashbacks), Davis, Grandmama, Bone Layer, etc. We are either extremely likable or so easy to hate; depending on Elmendorf's intention. She does wonderful character work!
All in all I think if you like a slow burn, then you probably would like this book. The premise and the characters are both fantastic, which helped to make it more enjoyable.
Weatherly's cousin and best friend Adaire is also gifted with the ability to Scry, which allows her to see the future when looking at dark surfaces. Right before she's killed in an accident Weatherly witnesses her see something alarming and it causes her to believe that Adaire was actually murdered. Therefore, when Weatherly is unable to talk the death out of the mayor's son, she is accused of trying to get revenge by not saving him on purpose.
Determined to prove that she's right about Adaire's death, Weatherly uses the clues she left beheld and her family's witchy recipe box to start her own investigation.
In the Hour of Crows appealed to me because I love a good witchy book. Unfortunately, the book was a little too slow of a burn for me. I felt like I wasn't fully interested in what was happening until about 80% . However, the end was fantastic! Once we got to the 80% mark things rapidly picked up and I was completely engaged and wondering what was going to happen next. I only wish the entire book was paced more like this.
Despite the pacing I do what to say that I loved the characters. Weatherly, Adaire (there were flashbacks), Davis, Grandmama, Bone Layer, etc. We are either extremely likable or so easy to hate; depending on Elmendorf's intention. She does wonderful character work!
All in all I think if you like a slow burn, then you probably would like this book. The premise and the characters are both fantastic, which helped to make it more enjoyable.
June 17, 2024
I'm finding it very difficult to write the review for this novel. There is so much to like about it, yet...
Appalachia has long been renown for its superstitions, folklore, portents, and enduring myths. The author takes this and runs with it, weaving her mystery story into its roots.
Weatherly Wilder was a likable character. She grew up in a poor family who lived deep in the Georgia pine woods of Appalachia. She always was led to believe that she can talk the death out of someone. She can hear soul songs... she is a 'death-talker'.
Weatherly is in mourning. Her best friend and cousin, Adaire, has been killed while riding her bicycle. She is also suffering from survivor's guilt - she had borrowed Adaire's car that day so Adaire wouldn't have even been on the bicycle if not for that. She is driven to find out how Adaire came to die - whose car was it that hit her bicycle that day...
Weatherly has a deep connection with one of the people she talked death out of. She calls him 'Rook', and he is a 'soul walker'. A man who morphs into a crow.
The mystery element was skilfully done, and the characters were well portrayed. The Appalachian setting lent the magical realism elements authenticity. But, there was just SO MUCH magical realism. I knew going in, that it would contain some, but for me the magical realism overwhelmed me, and the mystery element got pushed into the background. Rook's character especially led me to believe I was reading fantasy rather than magical realism.
The ending of the novel was very satisfactory and I'm more than certain that the author's smooth-flowing prose will be appreciated by many readers. For me personally, the elements of magical realism buried what was a fine mystery novel.
Appalachia has long been renown for its superstitions, folklore, portents, and enduring myths. The author takes this and runs with it, weaving her mystery story into its roots.
Weatherly Wilder was a likable character. She grew up in a poor family who lived deep in the Georgia pine woods of Appalachia. She always was led to believe that she can talk the death out of someone. She can hear soul songs... she is a 'death-talker'.
Weatherly is in mourning. Her best friend and cousin, Adaire, has been killed while riding her bicycle. She is also suffering from survivor's guilt - she had borrowed Adaire's car that day so Adaire wouldn't have even been on the bicycle if not for that. She is driven to find out how Adaire came to die - whose car was it that hit her bicycle that day...
Weatherly has a deep connection with one of the people she talked death out of. She calls him 'Rook', and he is a 'soul walker'. A man who morphs into a crow.
The mystery element was skilfully done, and the characters were well portrayed. The Appalachian setting lent the magical realism elements authenticity. But, there was just SO MUCH magical realism. I knew going in, that it would contain some, but for me the magical realism overwhelmed me, and the mystery element got pushed into the background. Rook's character especially led me to believe I was reading fantasy rather than magical realism.
The ending of the novel was very satisfactory and I'm more than certain that the author's smooth-flowing prose will be appreciated by many readers. For me personally, the elements of magical realism buried what was a fine mystery novel.
June 2, 2024
I’ve come to the realization that some of my very favorite and most unforgettable reads have a few elements in common. If magical realism is combined with poetic prose, atmospheric settings, and a story rich with folklore or in this case ancient-witchy magic, then I am sure to fall head over heels in love.
“𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑠, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑦𝑒𝑡.”
In the Hour of Crows hit everything on my list and then some. There was a murder mystery, intriguing family dynamics to navigate, and a bit of a love story that captivated me entirely. This book was so beautifully written. There were characters that I both rooted for with my whole soul and despised just as equally.
“𝐻𝑒’𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚. 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒……𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒. 𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑠. A 𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑙 𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑒𝑟．”
The Appalachian folklore magic was fascinating. The story between Weatherly and Rook was enchanting. Ahh this book was pure magic. I felt much the same way after reading other beloved favorites such as Where the Crawdads Sing, The Invisible Hour, Practical Magic, and Weyward, so if any of those appeal to you, then I promise this book will be your next favorite as well.
•𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 •
Ancient magic
Appalachian folklore
Shape shifting crows
Murder mystery
Family dynamics
Unbreakable bonds
Lyrical & poetic prose
Chapters with titles
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★★★ 𝟓
𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: I LOVED it!
✨Thank you so much @thehive @htp @mira for my #gifted ARC and tote goodies!
“𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑠, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑦𝑒𝑡.”
In the Hour of Crows hit everything on my list and then some. There was a murder mystery, intriguing family dynamics to navigate, and a bit of a love story that captivated me entirely. This book was so beautifully written. There were characters that I both rooted for with my whole soul and despised just as equally.
“𝐻𝑒’𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚. 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒……𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒. 𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑠. A 𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑙 𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑒𝑟．”
The Appalachian folklore magic was fascinating. The story between Weatherly and Rook was enchanting. Ahh this book was pure magic. I felt much the same way after reading other beloved favorites such as Where the Crawdads Sing, The Invisible Hour, Practical Magic, and Weyward, so if any of those appeal to you, then I promise this book will be your next favorite as well.
•𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 •
Ancient magic
Appalachian folklore
Shape shifting crows
Murder mystery
Family dynamics
Unbreakable bonds
Lyrical & poetic prose
Chapters with titles
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★★★ 𝟓
𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: I LOVED it!
✨Thank you so much @thehive @htp @mira for my #gifted ARC and tote goodies!
August 3, 2024
ALL THE SPOILERS
SO MANY SPOILERS
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
I should have been hesitant when it was compared to Crawdads but I requested the ARC from Netgalley because it sounded interesting. It could have been.
There was so much potential with this book. Great premise, good mystery, suspense was good...but the characters...
Why was Weatherly living with a grandmama she hated at the age of 24? She didn't have a job besides being at her grandmama's beck and call? If it was a small town, how many deaths could there be? And she claimed she had a bad reputation with the townsfolk, but never really interacted with anyone besides family and the police. How did Violet give up alcoholic cold turkey and not die? Why didn't anyone else realize there wasn't a wreck where Adaire was found?
So many plotholes and the pacing was hard to keep up with. We never did meet Westherly's mother or get answers about the picture of her and Gabby, or the babies. There were lots of things that bothered me, obviously. And then the storyline of Rook was completely unnecessary and added another layer.
SO MANY SPOILERS
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
I should have been hesitant when it was compared to Crawdads but I requested the ARC from Netgalley because it sounded interesting. It could have been.
There was so much potential with this book. Great premise, good mystery, suspense was good...but the characters...
Why was Weatherly living with a grandmama she hated at the age of 24? She didn't have a job besides being at her grandmama's beck and call? If it was a small town, how many deaths could there be? And she claimed she had a bad reputation with the townsfolk, but never really interacted with anyone besides family and the police. How did Violet give up alcoholic cold turkey and not die? Why didn't anyone else realize there wasn't a wreck where Adaire was found?
So many plotholes and the pacing was hard to keep up with. We never did meet Westherly's mother or get answers about the picture of her and Gabby, or the babies. There were lots of things that bothered me, obviously. And then the storyline of Rook was completely unnecessary and added another layer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2024
I really wanted to like this, but it felt like someone wrote a bunch of scenes around a concept that they really liked, and then just sort of went "Yeah, this looks like a book." The characters were fine, but I was always confused about how they got to the start of the book. I was always going back and trying to answer the questions that I had and had a hard time piecing together the story.
I'm curious to know if her YA books are better.
I'm curious to know if her YA books are better.
May 27, 2024
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
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
August 2, 2024
The setting in this story gave it a great atmosphere, a small town in Appalachia where a family with magical abilities lives. They're both praised for their help and reviled for 'being in league with demonic forces'. Weatherby especially has a difficult time, forced to save the people who treat her terribly and at a cost to her own health.
I had hoped we'd see a bit more magic from other people, but it mostly revolved around Weatherby. I went back and forth with my feelings toward her, sometimes I admired how she fought for justice for her cousin and was brash, other times she tipped into making stupid decisions that ended up hurting herself.
The pacing wasn't super consistent, so there was action crammed together and then slow parts that I wasn't as interested in. I did think it was an interesting read and the ending was intriguing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the copy.
I had hoped we'd see a bit more magic from other people, but it mostly revolved around Weatherby. I went back and forth with my feelings toward her, sometimes I admired how she fought for justice for her cousin and was brash, other times she tipped into making stupid decisions that ended up hurting herself.
The pacing wasn't super consistent, so there was action crammed together and then slow parts that I wasn't as interested in. I did think it was an interesting read and the ending was intriguing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the copy.
June 7, 2024
Mystical and evocative. And this gorgeous cover captures it perfectly. Deep in Appalachia, Weatherly Wilder lives an extraordinary life as a Death Talker, someone who can convince death to leave the body it's trying to take, but only once per person. After it enters her body, she coughs it out into a container. It's a thick black mucus that becomes Sin Eaters Oil. This precious liquid can be used for good or evil, but its use is controlled by Weatherly's harrigan of a grandmother. After her best friend and cousin is killed by a car, she goes on a quest to find the murderer, a murderer who is trying to implicate Weatherly. While the story may seem to meander, the author absolutely has it under control through to the beautiful ending that ties it all together. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2024
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!
Recommend if you like:
Magical realism
Gothic vibes
Murder mystery
Family drama
Small town
Thank you so much HTP Books for the ARC!
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!
Recommend if you like:
Magical realism
Gothic vibes
Murder mystery
Family drama
Small town
Thank you so much HTP Books for the ARC!
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