<i>*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review*</i>

This delivers on magical autumn vibes. While a bit predictable, it still was wonderful and engaging. A wonderful cottage-core fantasy that my students have loved!

Isobel lives in Whimsy where it is always summer and located in the lands of the Fair Folk. She has a craft and paints portraits with amazing likeness. The Fair Folk visit her regularly to have their pictures painted. When the Autumn Prince, Rook, comes for his portrait Isobel falls a bit in love. He's not quite the same as the rest and Isobel makes a mistake, she paints emotion in his eyes. When the portrait is revealed to Rook's court, the emotion puts him in a position of weakness and he must correct it by any means necessary, including kidnapping Isobel.

I liked this book but I didn't love it. It is in first person, which was okay but I didn't love. I adored the craft and how important that is. The faery world creating was awesome. This book has to visualizing stunning images that were awesome. I loved how the glamour worked and how its is very much a part of the Fey. I did want to see the winter court and if there were any summer fey besides the Alder King.

This book was very much a romantic book. There are monsters and questing and a flashback to Hermione's worst camping trip saga. But the heart of it is Isobel falling in love with Rook even though she knows it will only lead to disaster. And the romance was good. I just wanted a bit more robustness to the plot.

There were some issues with the ending. It is so abrupt and yes it wraps the plot up but I had questions. I also didn't really understand Rook's reaction and I want so clarification on the way succession will go. Also what about Hemlock? Lark? I did not get answers to most of my questions.

I'm so glad I finally got around to finishing this one! The character driven story was supported by world building and not overtaken by it. I loved that while Roberson could have diverged on so many (really cool) tangents she kept the focus singular and because of that the pacing was impeccable.

This book has one for the best covers ever! This book was a bit trope-y for me. Filled with insta love and unstable. characters. The writing is a bit all over the place.
I wish the character had more development and the plot kinda gets boring after a while!

The world building was vivid and beautiful as it's players were viley treacherous. A nice play of not all that glitters is gold.

The writing was subtle yet enchanting. Though the plot seemed directionless it did sum up into a conclusion but not a true ending."

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Isobel lives in a world where humans that are skilled at different things have a craft; something that they are a master of. For Isobel, her painting is a craft unrivaled by anyone she knows, and sought after by the fairies that visit. Whil many fear the fairie, and for good reason, Isobel knows that the only way that she can truly provide for her aunt and twin sisters is to use her craft to her advantage. Everything change though when she is commissioned to paint for the autumn prince Rook. Isobel knows that even though he doesn’t know her true name, something that would give him the power to control her, she cannot help but to find herself falling in love with him. Isobel makes a terrible mistake though when she paints his eyes showing his mortal soul. Rook demands that Isobel answer to the fair folk court and explain her actions to them. As she journeys with Rook into the fair folk land, the pair start to connect on a deeper level than either thought. The only problem is humans and fair folk are forbidden from falling in love. Will Isobel pay dearly for the crime Rook thinks she has committed, or will their love betray them before she can get back to her family?

Overall, I felt that this book dragged on. I know that fantasy novels are often long and filled with a lot of world building, but this book just seemed to drag on for me. I think that one of the best things about it is the fact that it isn’t going to be a series like many other teen novels these days. I found the world that Rogerson created to be interesting and new, but I didn’t find myself feeling like I had to keep reading and find out what was going on. I think one of the big disappointments for me what never finding out what Isobel’s true name is, unless, did I miss something?! Overall I think that this I a fine fantasy read, but I don’t think it’ll have the lasting effect on a library shelf. Recommended for libraries with fantasy loving readers, and an additional purchase when requested.

A few points about An Enchantment of Raven

The writing was gorgeous. The world was beautiful, Margaret Rogerson really has her way with words and she weaves together a stunning, vivid, dynamic world that really makes your imagination come alive.
Thought, the world and the writing are beautiful, where the book really hurt was the characters and the weak plot line. The story follows a 17 year old girl named Isobel, a human with painting as her Craft. They live in the world where summer does not seem to go away. The Fair ones hunger for human craft, and Isobel’s paintings are highly coveted. When Isobel gets her first prince – Rook of the Autumn lands – she paints sorrow in his eyes and puts Rook in danger. For Isobel did not know that showing emotion is dangerous and can get him killed.
Isobel is 17 years old, Rook is hundreds, if not thousands of years old. There is a bit of instalove between Isobel and Rook. I did not get the romance between the two and was quite frankly a bit confused about it. If Fair Folk are not meant to feel, how does Rook fall in love not once but twice? Also, if Rook is as old as he is and in love with a 17 year old, felt a bit off Isobel had moments of maturity but she also had bouts of juvenile tendencies as well. They have this heated kiss scene at which she comments afterwards that sex really turns people into imbeciles. Which I guess just reminds you that she is a 17 year old girl who just got grabbed by a Fair Folk that is hundreds of years old. I couldn’t get past that, mainly because he was so much more mature and experienced as her that the duo was making my head hurt.
There were a few other parts that confused me. The Hemlock plot line just felt kind of underdeveloped. At one point it is said Rook is losing his magic, I did not understand if he was going to recover and get it back and the whole conflict just felt a bit confused and one I found I really did not care for. The Ardan King is somehow poisoning the lands, but I did not understand how or why.
Isobel is a special snowflake, only she can save Fair Folk lands with her craft.
Overall, the writing was magic, stunning in it. But it faltered in characters, romance and a plot line that just didn’t completely work.

Enchanting read that is quick and good. Loved the details within the story and the various characters, also specifically how the faerie were portrayed.

This was a cool world and a fun read! It was fun to see how Isobel and Rook's relationship changed throughout the journey.

One of the most romantic books I've read in a long time. I'm not saying that to be cliché, but it was just beautiful. Isobel and Rook's complicated relationship had me hooked from the start. I loved, how it delved into the dark side of fair folk and the cost of true immortality. It really made you think of what makes a person truly human and unique. My only regret is this was a standalone!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2017843085?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Isobel lives in Whimsy, a town not far from the land of the fae. She makes a living by Isobel lives in Whimsy, a town not far from the land of the fae. She makes a living by painting the fair folk who pay with enchantments. Unlike many, Isobel asks for practical things like hens who lay a set number of eggs every day. The fae cannot practice Craft (the act of making or creating something such as cooking or painting) yet they love beautiful things which makes them yearn for human Craft such as Isobel’s artwork. She is a gifted painter who is in demand for her outstanding artistry. Rook, the Prince of the Autumn Court, has been encouraged to have his portrait done by Isobel and he returns daily to sit for her. When the finished work is unveiled, Rook is furious because she has captured him showing human emotion.

There’s a great deal of fairy folklore included here with some new characteristics added by Rogerson. The fae are beautiful (at least with their glamours), they cannot lie (but they can trick you with their words), they are hurt by iron, they are immortal, they come from seasonal courts, they love beauty but they cannot express human emotion or make Craft. When Isobel makes her request for fae payment in the form of an enchantment, she knows she must add specific criteria so the remittance doesn’t backfire on her. She is smart as well as talented.

Much of the book centers on Rook and Isobel traveling through some of the fae courts. Initially Rook plans to take her to his court to stand trial for exposing him in her portrait. But as they are attacked by Hounds and in danger from the Alder King, he finds he just wants to protect her. Isobel and Rook have a growing connection but one that will put them in greater danger for breaking a fairy law.

Rogerson brings the fairy land to life. She highlights all their ways and even shows their non-glamour selves. Isobel gets caught up with Rook and his folk, leaving her in serious danger. There is a fantastical mood to the story and the writing is wonderful. The fae characters are well-drawn and show their mischievous side as well as their haughtiness. Rook’s transformation into his feathered alter ego fits well with the plot and certainly with the beautiful cover. Isobel perhaps is drawn too easily to the Autumn prince but as they elude those trying to hurt them, her growing affection seems well-placed. The fae are true to their heritage. They may be lovely to look at but their visage masks their tricky, duplicitous nature. Isobel gets caught up in the battle between the different fae courts, finding herself on the run with the enigmatic Rook and an attraction that may be the death of her. For lovers of fairy stories and illicit love, this is sure to please.

Enchantment of Ravens was enchanting to read! Isobel is a very talented human whom the Fae seek for her work as a portrait artist. But, Isobel's Craft is a blessing and curse. She unknowingly paints the weakness of human sorrow in the Autumn prince's eyes and it brings her into more danger than she could possibly understand. But, Rook's resolve to bring Isobel to justice becomes even more complicated as his feelings for her deepen. Isobel does not fair any better - she too has fallen for the mysterious yet kind fairy prince. But, the Fae and humans are forbidden to fall in love. Isobel and Rook have an impossible task ahead of them. The only way out is for Isobel to become Fae. But, by doing so she loses her human self and the skill of her Craft that defines her very soul. Isobel and Rook have a sweet, clean romance throughout the book. However, I did feel that Rook was a little childish as times, and for being so old he wasn't too familiar with common human customs. But, even so I really enjoyed it! Filled with suspense, action, romance, and of course fairy intrigue - you will love this book! Beautiful cover!! Seems to be a stand alone novel. Recommended for ages 14 and up!


*A DRC was given for an honest review.

A sweet story about what happens when a mortal portrait artist meets a fair folk prince. A great, whimsical read for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, Wintersong or the Labyrinth.

"An Enchantment of Ravens" was one of my most anticipated reads this year. I let out a squeal of excitement when I got the eARC on Netgalley. However, almost right from page one, the book was not what I expected, and I was disappointed.

The writing style itself is not what I’d hoped or expected. There’s very little showing, and often the descriptions feel a little off. While we get a lot of information about Craft, we don’t get any information about the setting. What time period is it in the human world? It’s clearly not modern times, but we don’t have much background information about the world at all, and because of that it’s hard to center the story. The characters aren’t fleshed out either which made it hard for me to get into it.

The plot itself is rather thin. It feels like the main conflict is resolved really early on, and then a bunch of new plot threads are used to carry the rest of the story. There are, however, loose threads left by the end of the story. And the climax feels way too convenient. It isn’t hard earned, and it makes the threat feel like it wasn’t a threat at all.

As the main focus of the novel is romance, I was expecting more from it. But the romance is very one dimensional and not realistic at all. There’s not very much chemistry between Rook and Isobel. Also, Isobel spends much of the book thinking she isn’t in love with him. And indeed it does seem that way, until someone tells her she’s in love with him and she’s basically like “oh, you’re right…I AM.”

The book brings up the topic of consent, which I really liked. However, Isobel demands privacy while bathing an attending to personal needs. But as soon as she gets the chance, she spies on Rook bathing. It’s never addressed how she didn’t get his consent for watching him when she made it clear she wasn’t okay with being watched. The book also has an odd opinion of sex. It has important statements like consent which makes it feel mature and has a significant message. But when Isobel is confronted with the idea of sex, she acts like someone who hasn’t really been educated on the topic. And that’s where character and world building would have really benefited the story. I feel like we only scratched the surface of the world and its characters.

"An Enchantment of Ravens" was a really disappointing read for me. It’s been compared to Sarah J. Maas, and while the two have some similarities - fairy courts, human in love with fae - SJM creates rich, complex worlds and characters. I suggest checking this out from the library instead of buying it, just in case you end up disappointed like I was. It’s such a shame, because the cover art by Charlie Bowater is stunning. But I won’t be buying this book.

I don't fall in love with a book's prose often...but this book had me utterly infatuated. I was sucked in by the lyrical and illustrative writing which was just so beautiful and clear without going all Ann Rice and describing every damn detail.

I also loved that this was a book that does not advocate for immortality or the fae folk, unlike just about every tale about the fae out there. Instead, Isobel knows that for all their loveliness and age, the fae are empty shells that mimic the brightness and vivacity of humanity. And while her brain does turn mushy with feelings, she manages to keep her head and remain witty, courageous and full of common sense (although yes she does make mistakes and learns from them). It's YA fantasy, but lacking the insipidly stupid and self-sacrificing heroines common in YA right now.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: September 26, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized among them. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love, violating the fair folks’ ruthless Good Law. There's only one way to save both their lives, Isobel must drink from the Green Well, whose water will transform her into a fair one—at the cost of her Craft, for immortality is as stagnant as it is timeless.

Isobel has a choice: she can sacrifice her art for a future, or arm herself with paint and canvas against the ancient power of the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

What I Liked:

This book is every bit as captivating and enchanting as you might hear. I've seen people discussing it for months now, sharing excitement and desperation for it. I personally had no intentions of reading the book, because I'd seen people compare it to Sarah J. Maas's ACOTAR, and I had way too many issues with ACOTAR to want to read something similar. But this fae book was incredibly different and not at all anything like ACOTAR. I hate SJM's books but I highly recommend this one, either way. Don't let comparisons fool you! They work for some, but not for others. This book needed no comparison, and can stand on its own without needing SJM or anyone else as a crutch.

Isobel is an extremely talented artist, and does portraits of the fair folk. Her Craft of painting portraits is incredibly well-known, and fair folk flock to have their portrait done. One day, the autumn prince returns after hundreds of years of being away from Whimsy. When Isobel draws his portrait with sorrow in his eyes, she doesn't realize that this is a grave error - to draw human emotion on a fair folk. This is a weakness that the autumn prince does not need. So he spirits her away to take her to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. But they are chased by the Hounds of the Great Hunt, sent by the Alder King. What's more, Rook and Isobel fall in love, which breaks to Good Law that humans and fair folk are forbidden to fall in love. Isobel must sacrifice her life or Rook's, or they both must die.

The author's writing is so lovely! It was a pleasure to read this book. There are some books in which you don't really notice anything special about the writing, or you definitely notice the flowery writing, or the clunky, choppy writing. I took note of the smooth, whimsical writing of this book. There is a lush quality to the writing, which I didn't necessarily expect. At the same time, the writing wasn't distracting or too overdone. I got swept into the story and I was hooked.

From start to finish, I was in no danger of setting this book aside. I couldn't wait to see what Rook and Isobel would do next, what they would bicker about next, what Rook would misunderstood next (a lot of human mannerisms went straight over his head). And of course I wanted to see where the story was going - because the conflict switches several times, in order to get to the big picture (which isn't revealed until the very end). In any case, the author kept the story incredibly interesting and engaging, even if the subject matter was slightly dark and not happy-go-lucky.

I love how seamless the world-building is - how I immediately accepted the way things were. Everything from Craft to the fair folks' strange ways to the weird rules about human Craft... once you get a few pages in, all of these things seem commonplace, meaning I didn't question any of it. Humans living among fair folk? Sure thing. A brilliant painter commissioned to paint fair folks' portraits in exchange for enchantments of her choice? Makes sense. Rogerson does a superb job with crafting the world-building. Not for a second did I question the world-building, or fail to see or understand something. More than once, I was vividly imagining this or that - whether it was the rotten fruit, or the oak trees, or the honeysuckles.

Isobel is a character that I connected with very quickly. She is dedicated to her Craft and she is a diligent and determined hard worker. Everything she does is for her family, as well as she loves losing herself in a new portrait. Working with the fair folk is very taxing, but her Craft is who she is. I loved how feisty Isobel was, underneath her polite exterior. She has impeccable manners when it comes to the fair folk, but it is Rook that makes her forget her courtesies.

Ahh, Rook. Rook is an enigma, and yet he is so clearly defined. He is the mysterious autumn prince who stopped coming to Whimsy hundreds of years ago, and now he is returning for some reason (the reason is given in the story eventually, don't worry!). Rook is unusually kind and understanding for a fair one, but he is also charming and ill-tempered too. Isobel thinks of him as arrogant and a little self-centered at first, but he is also selfless when it comes to her safety. He is very powerful and not to be trifled with, especially as a prince. Rook is my favorite type of male lead - powerful, a little arrogant, very concerned with the female protagonist's safety and comfort, somewhat alpha-y but not in a d**chebag way. He has hints of danger and seductiveness that makes you fall for him easily.

This book takes place over the course of many weeks (especially in the beginning, as Isobel paints Rook's portrait), and so a lot of time passes, and the couple fall in love. Isobel has always felt something for Rook, but Rook was never trying to fall for her. They realize they love each other later on in the story and this isn't good, because it breaks the Good Law. Watching these two fall for each other was so cute and swoony, in subtle ways. There aren't many kisses or even physical interactions (arms brushing, holding each other, etc.), but this book is still very romantic. Neither one of them really wanted to fall for the other, but in the end, it was inevitable. They are a beautiful match - especially with all of the bickering and how they still stick with each other. Both of them have many choices to leave the other and go back to their business, but they always find that they simply cannot do so (especially Isobel, who in all rights should have left Rook as soon as possible, to go back to her family).

The climax is exciting and nail-biting - I wasn't at all sure how the book would end. I was so scared that there would be a heartbreaking, soul-crushing ending. BUT. I will say that the climax is extremely eventful, so don't skip to the end at any point. The ending is so lovely, so perfect for the story. Finally, a story involving fae that ends well (in my opinion).

Bottom line? This book is definitely worth reading. It exceeded my expectations! And the ending is so, so good.

What I Did Not Like:

I wanted more kissing, and potential steamy scenes between Rook and Isobel in general! I'm not saying ACOTAR-level stuff, but I definitely expected at least a little more kissing. I think my romance-related expectations were very high, and physical chemistry was high on my expectations list too. Especially with the mentions of a specific nightgown (seriously, all of the details were described very carefully - what did you expect me to think?).

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sweeping, romantic fantasy. I don't usually enjoy fae-related books and I definitely didn't enjoy SJM's ACOTAR, so I was initially turned off by the idea of this book. I almost didn't even read this book. But I'm glad I did, because it was swoony and romantic and heart-pounding and put me on a roller coaster of feels. Did I mention that there is no love triangle or anything else to the romance, besides Rook and Isobel? Linear romance for the win!

Rating:

4.5 stars. I'm still deciding if I should up or down, so I'm rounding down for now. I see why this book made it on the New York Times Bestseller's List. It deserves the spot and I hope it hangs out on the List for a while. I'm glad this book is a standalone (though I definitely wouldn't mind more Rook/Isobel goodness). I can't wait to read what is next by this author!

An Enchantment of Ravens follows Isobel, a young painter who is renowned for her work in creating portraits for the fae. Her town interacts with the fae and trades in Craft, the human ability to create that the fae are unable to do themselves but love to collect. Isobel meets the autumn prince, Rook, for his first portrait and makes the mistake of painting him with human emotion, sorrow. This leads to an adventure where the two must try to survive in a world where any fae showing signs of weakness becomes a target and where Isobel learns that the fae may not be what she had always believed.
I thought that An Enchantment of Ravens was a beautiful and descriptive book about the fae. I am always ready for a good book about magic and fantastical creatures and this was not a disappointment. The world of this story and the relationships between the fae and human worlds was so fascinating. I love this idea of Craft, human creation being our own form of magic and the thing that the fae most covet because they are lacking. It is so beautiful and has a wonderful message about our ability to create and the value of the arts. The fae cannot create or use Craft but they collect it and revere it as a lot of humans do towards magic and I loved reading how this world worked.
Isobel was such a great character, I loved hearing her perspective and her own internal struggles with what she knew she should be doing versus what her heart wanted, I found her very relatable. And Rook was a really charming love interest. I thought his quirks with struggling to understand human ticks and needs were very endearing and he seemed very earnest in his attempts to learn. However, my biggest issue with this book was how rushed and forced the romance felt. When the first claims of love were made it seemed too soon and I didn't know how those feelings could have realistically developed between two characters who had barely spent any time together. Towards the end of the book I could have understood a little more as the two went through a lot together and slowly built up trust with one another but the love seemed to happen almost immediately and I just did not buy that. The story also seemed to rush as it got closer and closer to the end. I thought where the story went and the conclusion was really interesting and somewhat unexpected but it seemed to all happen at once very suddenly. It was from slowly developing the characters and a sense of dread to immediately being thrown into the final climax and it was a little confusing.
All in all I do recommend this book for people who love YA fantasy and other stories involving fae. It was fun and cute and the forest atmosphere was described so beautifully it felt like I was there with them which I loved.

AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS by Margaret Rogerson is a wonderful debut novel blending romance, adventure and fantasy. The main human character, 17 year-old Isobel, is a talented artist who paints portraits of Fairy Folk like Gadfly and Rook, Prince of the autumnlands. Her "craft" helps support and protect her Aunt Emma, and two younger "sisters" (once goats, now girls due to a spell), but that lifestyle all changes when her portrait of Rook is considered too emotionally revealing and he kidnaps her to stand trial.

As the two travel together through the Fairy Lands, their mutual attraction grows. So, too, does the danger from a variety of beasts and fairies. The longer descriptions of the other world of Fairy "glamour" which hides decay and rot are sickening and gruesome -- poor Isobel confronts many challenges, one after another. She is a strong heroine and Rook, too, defies his heritage in caring for her. AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal which calls this book a "Princess Bride-style magical adventure."

4.5 stars

For all of those fans of Sarah J. Maas who are looking for dark faeries and the humans who have to interact with them, this is for you! There's a ton of romance, a love interest with a past, and a main character who has to balance the love of her life with her actual life.