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Hello friends!!!

We are getting really close to the end of the month, which is just absolutely wild to me. I’m back with another book review for you all. I hope you’re enjoying these reviews, and they are helpful for you. I enjoy writing them, and it’s really the main reason I decided to create a blog in the first place.

I also think I will be moving the main blog posts to Saturdays permanently. With my other hobby of watching F1 starting to really get into it (we’ve had 3 grand prix races so far), my Sunday mornings are basically reserved for that. The afternoons are for cleaning my house and taking care of that laundry I’ve been avoiding folding for a week.

Anyways, let’s get into it!

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This isn’t the forest guardian’s usual haunt.

Veronica Roth, When Among Crows, First Line

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When Among Crows is a very short book, coming in at under 200 pages. That does not mean that it lacks any kind of storytelling. This short book somehow manages to cram in a great story in so few pages. 

The atmosphere this book creates is akin to the classic blue tone we used in all our 2000s dystopian teen movies. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but it feels melancholic and dark, but somehow a bit soft. Don’t be fooled, though; this book is not cozy. While there is this soft, melancholic vibe, this short novella does bring some sharp, graphic imagery. Combine that with the backdrop of Chicago and Slavik folklore, and you have a scene I never imagined I would enjoy so much. 

The writing in this book instantly drew me in, and it took me a moment to remember that this is the same author who wrote the Divergent series that I read back in high school. I was so pulled in by the descriptions and the characters. I went into this book thinking that it would probably be just a quick read that I wouldn’t really give too much thought to. Sometimes I forget how a story doesn’t need to be long to be good. That’s on me as a reader. 

This book was a genuine surprise for me. I originally purchased it because of the gorgeous cover. I decided to read it because I wanted something short after my last book. In the end, I found something that I can absolutely say that I will read again. For that, it definitely gets a 5-star stamp from me.

I highly recommend giving this book a try. The beauty of it being so short is that if you don’t like it, it won’t take up much of your time or your bookshelf. Take a chance on that short book because it might just surprise you and become something you’ll go back to again and again.

5 ★