A delightful YA fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde, filled with beautiful floating islands, a mystery beneath them, hidden in the mists, and even dragons are included! Who wouldn't love a story where the people have magic and some have wings of various different bird species?

Though it did have a lot of 'well it's been done before' that's one of the reasons I could enjoy it, and I did enjoy the side characters most of all. They were well fleshed out, and aside from a few pacing issues [the start seemed slow but it got on track quite quickly after about the 40% mark], I thought this was a great read.

The only problem now is the wait for book two.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was a bit disappointed by this book. Reading that it was for people that enjoyed certain authors named, I was looking forward to it..
Instead I was met with a story that I couldn’t get into and that didn’t spark any excitement in me. I wanted to DNF it halfway through, but kept going in the hope it would get better. It didn’t for me, sadly enough.

I think that most everyone who requested this book understands that it is beautiful and amazing just by the cover alone. Well, if you can believe it, the content is just as amazing as the cover.

I love fantasy novels. They're some of my favorite books, and yet I haven't been reading them lately. It's been a dreary existence, until The Raven and the Dove popped into my life! I absolutely loved this book. I love a good half bird half human fantasy novel, so it was perfect.

I loved the multiple POVs, and the complexity of the plot. I'm beyond excited to read the next book! The world building was great, although there were definitely parts that confused me. The religion of the world could have been explained a bit better. As could Cassi's true origins. I was majorly confused about "her king" and what he was all about. Did he have magic? I suppose so, but that was a bit confusing. For the most part, the story was well told, and I loved all of the characters!

The one thing I would complain about was the map. It was really hard for me to understand which floating land mass was which. The labels seemed off, but maybe it was just the version.

At first, I wasn't sure what to think--the characters had wings, and that's not really my thing. However, the more I read, the more intrigued I became until their wings were just a part of the story, not something to be hung up on. I'm glad I didn't let the wings stop me because this was actually a great read!

I loved the myth and lore that the author set up, and I like that we got both sides of it--above and below. I think that dynamic really gave the story an edge and had me wondering what came next, who was right, and where this would lead. I really liked how each house was designated by their bird wings and the attributes that pertained to that bird--it was an interesting take.

I loved the characters and thought they were very well written. It's difficult to get me to root for so many characters, but the author did just that. Even as their morals were tested, I found myself rooting for them. (Until that ending. You know who you are and what you did!)

I also loved the magical elements to the story and how different the world above and below viewed it. I'm interested to learn more about the magic system, the different abilities, and how abilities are gifted as the series continues.

I am not familiar with the Tristan and Isolde tale, but if it's anything like this one--MY HEART! The twisted ending definitely had me flipping through pages faster than I could actually read them, wondering what was going to happen next.

Apparently this is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde, I’ve never heard of that before.. So I cannot comment on the accuracy of this retelling.
I really do not know how to feel about this book. I kinda enjoyed it, but there was nothing that really stood out to me?!
I loved that the people from different houses have wings from different birds!
I mean all the characters were just okay, didn’t hate any but no one was really special. Most of their actions made sense, they didn’t do any weird things.
The summary of this book ends with ‘two star-crossed lovers.’ Which makes it sound as if romance is a big part of the plot, but it is not?! I mean there is some romance but barely, it might become a bigger thing in the sequels though!
The plot also felt a bit random. Even after finishing the book I have no idea were the story is going. Based on the summary I thought the courtship trials would be a big part of the book, but I don’t think it took more than 15 pages?! I would have loved to see that a bit longer! After these trials we go to a different part of the world, of which the beginning feels a bit dull since nothing really happens. In this part Cassi’s POV was the most interesting since I didn’t really understand her storyline, and I wanted to figure it out! And then the ‘big’ event at the end of the book happens, but it doesn’t actually feel as big. Some things happen that I didn’t see coming, but I still think the author could have made it even bigger!
I know I do not sound very positive about this book. But the writing was very  good, and the plot did keep me ntrigued in some way. Especially because of Cassi’s POV!
And I’m very interested in reading the sequel, which will already be released later this year!

I'm a big fan o retellings and I was intrigued when I read the blurb o this book. A retelling of Tristan and Isolde!? yes, count me in. So I was ecstatic when I received an arc of The Raven and The Dove, and dived right into it immediately.

The story was intricate and told in multiple POV, which most of the time I don't like because it can become confusing, but it worked perfectly in this situation. The book opens with a dramatic scene, a battle with a dragon, and it's fair to say it captured my attention from the start. The author introduces us to a fascinating world. There are several aviary clans and they are beautifully presented, each house with its particular traits and beauty, and I liked the association between human and bird traits. The magic system was interesting, based on nature's elements, and though I liked the concept, I feel like it needed to be explained a bit more.

The action is fairly paced but dulls down halfway throughout the book only to pick up at the end. The plotline is intriguing, following the two star crossed lovers, Lyanna and Rafe, whose relationship is doomed to end up in tragedy. But beyond that, the story is much more complex and a greater force is at play when it comes to their destinies. The main characters are well developed, the love triangle played out well, but I needed a lot more on the romance aspect. The chemistry was there but I feel like it wasn't enough passion in their interactions. There were some twists of events that caught me by surprise and I thoroughly enjoyed how Cassi's presence throughout the story maintained the suspense and mystery. The book ends as it started with a dramatic and shocking scene that leaves room for a sequel and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This is the first book in a fantasy series and I don't know how to feel about it. In all honesty, it fell kind of flat for me. I wanted more from the characters, the magic system, the romance, and more world-building. Because it was the first book I am taking that into account, so I will be reading the next book to see where it goes. Most of the book I felt like there was nothing happening. It wasn't until the end of the book that I got more invested because of the ending. I would recommend giving it a try, I would love to hear your thoughts and discuss the book.

DNF at 33%, which makes me so sad!

On the surface, this book should have been perfect for me--fantasy, romance, Tristan and Isolde vibes--but the great ideas weren't executed well. The pacing felt stiff, and the characters weren't compelling; when I wasn't bored, I was confused by the amount of exposition happening.

Thank you to the author Kaitlyn Davis for providing an e-ARC through Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

IF YOU’RE A BIRD, I’M A BIRD.

Wait a minute, hold on, come support an indie author and get this book on your TBR! It has everything I’m looking for in a YA fantasy and the 500 pages really felt like nothing. Let’s get into this review.

It’s a Tristan and Isolde retelling, and if you’re not sure who those people are, please Google the story like I did after reading Sweet Black Waves and getting my heart ripped out. I love the way this version was written and like the twists Davis put on it. I could definitely see some of the similarities, but it swayed far enough away that this is it’s own novel, on a whole new fantasy level.

I am in love with my cinnamon rolls Rafe and Xander. These brothers are so tender, and kind. They’re loyal to one another and I appreciated the strong family bond they have. Lyana and Cassi were great friends too. I love that everyone had a support system with them. They brought the soft moments, and the hard ones together.

Ships were flying all over the place. This is a rare example of a sort of love triangle actually not bothering me. I know, I can’t believe I said it either. But really! This was so well done. You can see where [I think] the ships will eventually end, but I like how it flowed back and forth just enough to add intrigue and another layer to the story.

THE ENDING WAS WILD. Oh my goodness so much happened. It luckily didn’t end in a dramatic cliff-hanger. Enough happened though that the next book is definitely on my radar. I love how much action and characters came onto the scene. Betrayals were flying all around, people getting tossed off of worlds, INSANE. Oh, and did I mention, THIS WORLD HAS DRAGONS?

I liked the world-building as well. I still have a few questions, but I feel like those will be answered over other books so I’m not concerned. The way the world is set up with one group on land and one group in the air is CRAZY COOL. And the way the people become birds? I need someone to tell me more about that! I love the way the Houses are all split to different types of birds and their strengths. Everything was well thought out and I am so happy I picked this up!

Overall audience notes:

Young adult fantasy
Language: VERY little
Romance: some kisses, a no detail fade-to-black scene
Violence: dragons, fire, swords, earthquakes, magic, physical

I absolutely loved this book! The story was fast paced and engaging, with various YA tropes and a few surprise twists! The characters were complex and likeable - I particularly loved Xander and Rafe and their brotherly dynamics. The magic system was so interesting and I'm so keen to return to this changing world to see what happens in the next book!!

RATING: 4.5/5

The Raven and the Dove took me by surprise and stole my heart in no time, earning a spot on my list of best books of 2020. Yes, I'm aware that the year has just begun, but I'm pretty sure this book will find its place in my top 10 of the year (if not top 5...) because I loved it.
They say it's perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir and Leigh Bardugo - personally I'm not a fan of the latter nor I've read anything from the second, but I can definitely see a resemblance with Maas' works.
Even though it isn't based on The Beauty and the Beast (luckily, we had enough of it lol) - but on Tristan and Isolde - we're still looking at yet another YA Fantasy retelling. Chances of it being unoriginal and predictable were pretty high - that's why I couldn't be happier to tell you that this isn't the case at all. The Raven and the Dove is unique, entertaining, one of those stories that glue you to the pages and make you yearn to know more.

First of all, the world-building is amazing! The setting is fantastic and very well crafted, even though we don't get the chance to see really much of it - we only get told about many places, which I really hope will be shown in future installments because I need to explore this world. The different houses reminded me a lot of Prythian's courts - each and every one of them different, peculiar, with its own traditions and cultures. I'd love to know more about them, their people and their rulers! I also enjoyed the idea of a whole world existing just beneath the feet of our MCs without them knowing and I can't wait to see the two worlds colliding.

The religious system wasn't particularly original - there is a set of gods and each House serves one of them. What was original is one of the plot twists, something that made me think and ponder how people can be easily manipulated when religion is involved. So, even though there wasn't anything really special about the people believing in these gods, I loved how Davis gave it a deeper meaning and how she twisted it to become a little part of the puzzle.

Now, let's move on to the characters. I must say I was impressed by Davis' ability to portray three-dimensional characters with faceted personalities. Throughout the story, we follow four MCs - Lyana, Rafe, Xander and Cassi. If you know me, you know that I rarely enjoy multiple POVs - most of the time I feel like the author isn't able to really distinguish one character from the other and that the single characters don't get the space they need to truly show themselves and develop. Davis is one of the few authors who were able to give every one of them the air they needed to breathe. Each one of the four felt real, complex and unique. I never expected to say this, but I actually enjoyed the multiple POVs!

But let's go a bit deeper:
Lyana - or Ana, as we get to know her - is our MC and the princess of the House of Peace. The story is told mostly from her pov. She's bold, impulsive, a wild soul that cannot be tamed. Sometimes I liked her - she was spontaneous, compassionate, altruistic and sensitive - but other times she really got on my nerves with her childish behavior and her brattiness. She's spoiled and privileged, used to have everyone wrapped around her finger. Even though she didn't convince me 100% I feel like she has a lot of room to grow from a little girl excited by the world to a mature woman who understands what really matters. I can't wait to witness her development in the rest of the series! She has a lot of potential and I do really hope it won't go to waste.

Rafe is the bad boy of this story. Grumpy, mysterious, not particularly friendly, with a gruesome past and a self-sacrificing instinct due to past traumas. He's that guy who feels like he doesn't deserve one bit of love when in reality he deserves the entire world. I'm gonna make a big statement: he reminded me of Rhysand. Yep, I said it. Even though he too has to grow a lot more, he has the potential to become your new favorite book boyfriend. He deeply cares about his family - his brother in particular - and he would do anything for him. He's afraid of opening his heart but desperately yearns for love and attention. And if his past wasn't enough to make your heart warm to him, what happens to him in the last chapters... I won't spoil anything, but it's heartbreaking. I felt the pain as it was my own.

Xander is Rafe's brother and the prince of the House of Whispers. Despite looking almost identical to Rafe, he couldn't be more different from him: Xander is calm, outgoing, a little bit nerdy, an old soul with a strong sense of responsibility toward his people. He doesn't have Rafe's allure and charm - at least not for me, a sucker for bookish bad boys - but he too deserves the world and much more. Most importantly, he deserves a mate who will love him with her whole heart, just like he intended to do with Lyana. I do really hope he will get his happy ending. I also hope his smart brain will be a gamechanger for the story and that he will play a huge role in it. I want him to have his bit of glory.

Cassi was my least favorite, but I still loved her storyline. She's supposed to be Ana's best friend, the rational one of the two, but in reality she's so much more. At first I was a bit confused, to be honest - there are a lot of information about her that need to be processed and I feel I still haven't grasped the entirety of her role in the story, but I'm curious to see where this is going. She seems to have a heartbreaking past as well, even though it isn't 100% clear (or at least it wasn't for me, I feel like I'm missing some pieces) but what she did in the end... let's just say I was in shock. I wasn't expecting it whatsoever.

The romance plays a huge role in this story. I must warn you: we're talking about insta-love.
I usually don't like this trope, but Davis was able to make me change my mind even on this one. I shipped Rafe and Lyana the moment they laid their eyes on each other and I'm still shipping them hard after finishing the book, but I must say their relationship needs a lot of work. This instant love between them makes sense in my opinion - not because they have real feelings for each other, but because they share something (can't say what without making spoilers, sorry) that creates a deeper connection between them. This connection is mostly physical in my opinion - they lust for each other, not just on a shallow, sexual level, but in a more intimate way because of this thing they have in common. Still, what they have isn't love. They barely know each other and they clearly feel attracted to the other only because of their shared trait - I do really hope Davis won't make them being in love without properly developing their relationship. I want to see them truly getting to know each other and witness their feelings change, from primordial attraction to actual love. But I want it to make sense you know? I hate when authors put together two characters and make them fall in love without it making sense.
As for Xander, I hope he'll have his romantic happy ending too. There are a few things that make me fear he will end up with Cassi, which would be so predictable and cliché. Maybe they would be cute together, but for now I just don't see it and I wish for something more peculiar - I'd love if there was a way for him to end up with the girl he wanted to be mated with in the first place, Coralee from the House of Wisdom.

To wrap up my thoughts, The Raven and the Dove is a phenomenal beginning for a series that has the potential to become a fan favorite. What's even more incredible is that Kaitlyn Davis is an indie author - something you would never dream of thinking while reading this book! I encourage you to support her by purchasing your own copy on the release date, March 9th. I'm so thankful that I was able to read it in advance and I hope with all my heart that the rest of the series will meet my expectations - and they're pretty high because at the moment I feel like this could be a new ACOTAR if well developed. Coming from me it's a statement as big as my own city, but I'm hopeful!

Not a fan. It kinda read like a wattpad book and now a good wattpad book either.I love the story of Tristan and Isolde but this just wasn't right for me. Maybe I'll give it another try. But for right now I am meh about this story.

Thank you so much @netgalley and @kaitlyndavisbooks for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The avian-inspired fantasy is the first book to The Raven And The Dove series. Man!! What a great start to a series. I was hooked from the very beginning. The book simply was amazing and so well written. The world-building and the magic were fascinating. The characters were layered and really wonderful. The cast simply was phenomenal. The complexity of the characters and the twists and turns will leave you wanting more. Ana, Xander, Rafe, and Cassie are the four main characters driving the plot forward. We have a mysterious King who will stop at nothing to fulfill a prophecy. Ana has this vivacious, bubbly personality that is infectious and charming. Xander is the Prince who is very practical, straight forward and follows the rules. Rafe is the moody, grumpy Prince who has a lot of weight on his shoulders. He is bound by duty and his love for Xander keeps him in the Kingdom. Cassie is amazing as a character and she is the best this story has to offer. The multiple POVs make this book fascinating as you get to be in their shoes and get to know their thought processes and motivations. A story of lies, betrayal, love, and secrecy brings us the perfect story that will enthrall you and keep you hooked till the end. I loved every second of this book. I had to take a small break to deal with the emotional upheaval the ending caused me. The book was engaging, the plot was riveting, the ending drove me to tears, I wanted to physically attack certain characters, need I say more?? I gave the book 5 stars. I can't wait to read the next book. I already got my copy of the prequel novel The Princess And The Pawn from the author's website. I'll be diving into it soon.

A princess longing to be free...
A bastard aching to belong...
Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart...

Wow. This was simply incredible. An unique and original tale inspired by Tristan & Isolde. Four fiery and deeply layered main characters. Various shocking reveals and unexpected turns. I read this in one sitting and I can't even believe this ending..... Absolutely loved The Raven and the Dove.

The writing keeps you on your toes and curious about what'll happen next. The different POV between our main characters makes for a well-rounded story. You understand these characters and their emotions extremely well and they truly make for a very interesting group with complex relationships. The magic system is new and intriguing with the different houses, dragons and a mysterious other world. I really loved this approach. The world-building is done so well and keeps expanding throughout the rest of the book.

Honestly I just need the sequel to The Raven and the Dove because I LOVED it!

Yes, like many the cover grabbed me. He looks like Rhys, who I am in love with from the ACOTAR series! This is a nice fantasy romance. I look forward to Book Two!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed ARCs of these books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

DNF @ 9%

This is another book I was super excited to read from Netgalley. I watched Tristan and Isolde as a teen and remember crying my heart out, so seeing that this would be a retelling AND featuring characters with magic and wings... I had to check it out.

The thing is, right from the get go I was confused about what was going on. I tried pushing through hoping something would make sense, but continued to get more confused and then more I thought about things and tried to make things work... the more I didn't like it.
All the royal families at this point are related to each other and the inbreeding is super hard to get around. The games for a mate and then the ones without a mate at the end are the ones who actually bring fresh DNA into this storm.
But, hey, this is how past royalty works-- I can get over it... except for then at 9% when a 5 year old becomes king -- loses his youth, becomes a "man", and his tone holds "authority" that everyone listens to.... because any rational adult is going to listen to a child when sound authoritative.

I just... I just could not go farther.

The Raven and the Dove is a thrilling and unique YA Fantasy. I'll admit, it took me a minute to get into this book because the main characters were basically bird-people, but I got over that and really ended up enjoying this novel. Princess Lyana of the House of Peace dreads her mating trials, but when she saves a handsome and strange raven prince, she changes her tune. A stunning deceit, however, gives her more than she bargained for when she makes her choice. She accepts her fate and travels to the House of Whispers to be mated to their prince, all the while harboring a secret magic and feelings for another. The Raven and the Dove has oodles of secrets, betrayal, and magic. It got better as it went on. I LOVE Xander. I know he isn't the main "ship" for Lyana in this novel, but I'm rooting for them because Xander is just perfect. The world is majestic and stunning to behold. Kaitlyn Davis has created a unique fantasy that people will enjoy.

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I’ve never been torn so much on whether I should write a 1 star review or a 5 star review which is weird because there shouldn’t even be a question. But hear me out. As a Tristan & Isolde retelling, this book worked. It made sense. It was tragic and there was so much manipulation, deceit and heartbreak that no one was spared. Add in the world building and you’ve got a really good book. The problem was the characters. Instead of loving them despite their mistakes, I mostly hated them. I think that’s the problem with not making their problems seem big enough to make the choices they did. Because in the end I didn’t sympathize with their actions. I didn’t feel sorry for them (with the exception of two I mention below). Mixing a YA fantasy with a retelling only made them come across as immature, like they hadn’t fully grown up yet, something that pervaded the narrative until pretty much the end of the book.

Lyana, the main heroine, was just so annoying from the start. Childish, naive and spoiled. Expecting everyone around her to bow to her whims, manipulations and obsessed with pursuing her dream of a life despite what that means for others. She would state that she knew what it meant to be a princess and sacrifice, but she showed none of it until the barest hint right at the end. I mean at one point she says her best friend is no longer exciting because she’s “old news” since she’s become part of the family. Who says that? I got so tired of her whining after she’s been moved to the house of Whispers. Complaining that she’s the victim when she was the cause of all her own problems because of her childish fantasizing. Yes, Xander and Rafe played a part in the deception but she’s the one who pushed the ultimate end that led to all of their misery. We’re supposed to believe she’s noble and feel sorry for her because she’s disguising a secret, but considering that those around her wouldn’t even have hurt her for it, I didn’t feel the least bit sorry. She kept the secret when she had no need to, and hurt people in the process. So needless to say, not my favorite heroine.

I really wanted to love Rafe. I thought he would be the strong, confident, broody love interest we’ve all come to adore. Instead he seemed to be haunted by the circumstances of his birth and rejection of those around him. It was disheartening to watch him hurt himself physically to mask his emotional pain. My biggest issue with him was that he seemed to lack any self-worth and would cling to any scrap of affection thrown to him. This was especially evident in the way he was so saddened by the idea of Xander moving on with his life. It was hard to see he thought he was only important as long as Xander was around or Lyana was gazing at him like a new found adventure. The one thing I did appreciate about him was the sacrifices he made for Xander and how he tried to be selfless and step aside in many ways for his brother. That’s why I didn’t like how Lyana came between the two of them as their bond seemed to be so strong even given their upbringing. I felt some sympathy for the way things ended up for him, even given that it was his own mistakes that had mostly driven him there. I’m curious now as to where his story will go moving forward but I’m hoping that maybe this change will propel him to be a stronger character and not more sullen than he already is.

Because this is a retelling I’m aware that a messed up love story is the name of the game. Still, Lyana and Rafe’s romance came off as juvenile. Their feelings were based solely on this one moment they shared near the beginning of the book, this revealing of the secret and how they had supposedly found the one person they could be honest with. But the secret is the only thing they ever share. They hardly share any further time together in the book and even when they do there’s not much spark beyond that bond they share over a mutual secret. Their time together didn’t make me feel like their love was strong enough to warrant the choices they made or how close they ended up being. And let’s not even mention how each of them treated Xander. He was trying to make the princess happy and was the only person who showed his brother genuine affection but they both threw that back in his face in the worst way possible. The only redeeming aspect was that the author didn’t glorify how things ended up. She showed it for what it was, a terrible series of choices that only ended in the making of further mistakes. I wanted more from the romance in this book. I was hoping that since it was a retelling it wouldn’t just be the same rehash of betrayal and insta-love. I guess I was looking more for a reimagining, that maybe there would be some affection that grew between Rafe and Lyana over time or the story could be flipped on its head and she even started to fall for Xander or something. But no such thing happened.

Now Xander and Cassie. These characters were so interesting and heartbreaking. But for completely different reasons. One for the secrets hidden from him, the other for the secrets she kept. One for what he wasn’t willing to do, the other for what she was, despite the cost to herself. Somehow even though they weren’t the main couple or the main focus, they drew mine anyway. Their pain felt more real, more honest than Lyana and Rafe. Their struggles made my heart ache for them in a way I couldn’t with the other two. I felt so sorry for Cassi that she kept having to do things she really didn’t want to because she believed in a king who had long since forgotten about her. And I honestly could say so much about Xander. Yes the whole mess may have begun because he asked Rafe to be in his place, but the way he continued to wear his heart on his sleeve only to have it crushed was so devastating to watch. He was such an admirable character. Not perfect, no. He lacked courage and strength in some ways. But he showed he could be a good king and sacrifice where it really mattered. The more the book went on the more I was waiting for chapters on these two to show up. There were hints at a possible pairing between the two and that I would be on board for, although I have no clue how Cassi will find redemption after what she did near the end of the book, that was pretty awful.

The world building of this story is phenomenal though. Which is why it’s so sad I didn’t like the main characters because I loved the world they inhabited. The avian aspects were executed so well and the writing was vivid enough that I could picture all the different elements as they were being described. I always like when there’s different royal houses because it leaves potential for more places to be explored. Learning about each house was fascinating and then adding the details about magic on top of it really brought a great level of complexity. This word was fantastical, ethereal and dreamy all at the same time but with an aura of danger always surrounding it. I just wish all the characters had the same level of depth the world did.

The underlying plot that connects everything got much more interesting near the end. I did like how the author wove the idea of this fifth hidden figure throughout. Almost the puppet master of some of the events. He’s an interesting character and one that I hope has a much bigger role in the next book, there’s a potential for even him to become a love interest but I have no idea where that would go if it happened. Plus at this point there’s already 4 POVs so I don’t know if having 5 would be a good idea.

Overall this book was ok. The main characters dragged it down from the heights I believe it could’ve soared to but I know I’ll probably read the sequel. If nothing else because this world was so unique and it’s rare these days to find a unique concept. I hope there’ll be more development in the next book and even more places to explore.

Deceit, dragons, hidden magic and star-crossed lovers. The Raven and the Dove has all of that and more. Set in a world divided into two, those above and those below, it delivered a story beyond two people fighting fate for love. It’s about a princess who dreams of a higher calling, a prince who longs for approval, a bastard who wants to be accepted and an owl who hides the darkest secrets of them all.

Lyana - Princess of the snowy House of Peace. She dreams of adventure and is always getting into all kinds of mischief. On the day the challenges for royalty to find mates should begin she witnesses a brave prince fighting for his life against a dragon and decides she’s going to turn the tables on fate and propriety.

Rafe - The bastard prince of The House of Whispers. Shunned in his own kingdom by everyone but his brother, he would do anything for Xander including pretending to be him to compete and obtain the perfect mate for the kingdom that hates him. Attacked by a dragon and nursed back to health by a mysterious dove has a strange way of coming back to bite him in the ass later on though.

Xander - The crown prince of The House of Whispers. He’s held back by his deformity, a man of books rather than fighting. He needs the perfect mate to bring hope back to his kingdom to restore it and be taken seriously again.

Cassi - The orphaned owl taken in by Lyana and her kind heart. She loves her best friend more than anything, but she has her own past and secrets that might just change everything.

There were so many amazing things about this book. From the writing to the world-building and the amazing characters themselves I was enraptured. While we had 4 POVs most the book, they each had their own distinct voice and I never found myself dreading someone’s chapters.

There was a bit trickery and star-crossed lovers having in the romance department. You are just on this journey with Lyana but you see what she doesn’t thanks to Rafe and Cassi. It was like watching an train wreck about to happen. So many threads of people’s lives were tangled because of the decisions others made. I just wanted it to all work out in the best ways possible and without any betrayals.

Xander was my favorite little cinnamon roll. He loves his people but is so passive in his own life. Everyone could see it but him. He let something out of his control define him and I think some progress there was made so that’s something I’m really looking forward to in the second book along with Cassi’s storyline.

While it took me a hot minute to get into this book and the idea of winged people, once I was in I was in deep. We’ve only really gotten to explore the tiny bit of this huge world and were left with some major cliffhangers. I’m excited to see where this will go next and even more excited that the next book The Hunter and the Mage comes out September 2020 so I don’t even have to wait too long!

I can unabashedly say that yes, I did, at first, request this book because of the cover. I mean, just look at it. The summary did appeal to me, though, so it's not fully a cover-request.

Anyway, the book. Definitely some crazy things going on here.

So this story is very loosely based on Tristan and Isolde, if that gives you any indication of what this is going to be like, i.e. painful. In this world, the new group of young royals from these different avian-people groups must compete to find their mates. The dove princess, Lyanna, secretly meets who she thinks is the raven prince and drama ensues. All the while, there is a greater plot at hand.

The whole "the characters have wings" thing is new to me (I know this isn't a new idea, but this is my first time reading it). I wasn't sure how I felt about it in the beginning, but I think the author handled it very well. She used the wings to show emotion, as a plot point, and as a physical feature of the characters, but not one they relied to heavily on.

Speaking of the characters, I have some mixed feelings on them, but mostly good things. This story was told in multiple POVs, the main four being Lyanna (the "Isolde" character), Rafe (the "Tristan" character), Xander (the prince that Lyanna is betrothed to), and Cassie (Lyanna's best friend). Each character was well-developed and had their own voice, which I appreciate in a book with so many POVs.

Lyanna is very spunky and stubborn. She has a wish to be free and explore, but knows she must do her duty as a princess. At times, though, her actions are hard to read. The "cover your eyes to avoid the embarrassment" kind of hard to read.

A favorite character of mine was Xander. He's soft and I just want to hug him and tell him that I will sit in his library and read books with him. I would also tell him that he is stronger than he knows and he just needs to accept that.

Where this story fell a little short for me was the plot. Every step was intriguing and watching Lyanna deal with her feelings was fun, but this story seemed to have the wrong focus. I know this series is planned for four books, so it kind of felt like this book was mostly setup for what is to come. The background, greater plot, was a little too in the background. The major thing happened at the end, and then it was over. I understand this, of course, but as a reader, it was a little frustrating.

On top of that, the "Tristan and Isolde" part of the love story wasn't quite enough for me. Lyanna's feelings at the beginning of that arc, seemed more focused on Rafe being "convenient," even if they did have real chemistry. Then later, she suddenly liked him for real, when he was not at all convenient. I don't know. It just felt a little off for me. I wanted more.

Overall, an exciting story and I'm looking forward to continuing this series when the rest comes out in approximately a million years.