Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher for MLC Book Tours! Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Crow Rider

Author: Kalyn Josephson

Book Series: The Storm Crow Book 2

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: fantasy, bird lovers, epic fantasy

Publication Date: July 7, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 14+ (mental health, death, gore, violence)

Publisher: Sourcefire Books

Pages: 368

Synopsis: Princess Thia, her allies, and her crow, Res, are planning a rebellion to defeat Queen Razel and Illucia once and for all. Thia must convince the neighboring kingdoms to come to her aid, and Res’s show of strength is the only thing that can help her.

But so many obstacles stand in her way. Res excels at his training, until he loses control of his magic, harming Thia in the process. She is also pursued by Prince Ericen, heir to the Illucian throne and the one person she can’t trust but can’t seem to stay away from.

As the rebel group prepares for war, Res’s magic grows more unstable. Thia has to decide if she can rely on herself and their bond enough to lead the rebellion and become the crow rider she was meant to be.

Review: Overall, I really liked this book! I thought the characters were very well developed for the most part and the book had a lot of action in it that kept me glued to my seat. The book did well to discuss PTSD and trauma as well!

However, I did think that the book needed more world building and needed to be slowed down pacing wise. The book is fast paced and excitable, but I would like to spend more time in the worlds a bit more. The author could have easily wrote 100 more pages with descriptions of the worlds and I would have loved it. The book also had a bit of a love triangle which… meh… You also have to read these books back to back for the full effect. The book immediately picks up after the events in book 1 and so it’s hard to orient yourself if you don’t remember everything from book 1.

Verdict: An epic fantasy! Definitely recommend.