Okay, don’t cuff me even though I’m guilty as charged. I just looked at the cover of the book and pushed the request button without having any knowledge what this book was about, what the genre was, and what I was drinking at that time!

Yes, the cover was mesmerizing and hypnotizing gave me Alice in Wonderful effect. It whispered to my ear: ”Eat me”! Nope, wrong message. It said: “Choose me!” So I did and followed the rabbit. Guess what: there was no rabbit! My sister-in law resembled a rabbit when she was wearing her work suits (Oh, don’t be mad at me! She tells me meaner things like I’m disastrous cook and cruel person, Okay she is not wrong but this is not relevant!)

So we have protagonists carrying wings and the dragons in this story which already made me climb on my coffee table and started my hardly choreographed dance moves! (My neighbors canceled their movie reservations and decided to watch me because I was funnier than “Like a boss”movie)

So let’s get some quick analysis about this book:

-I mostly liked Lyana, our hot tempered, always her actions speak louder than her words kind of impatient, a little outrageous, vivid heroine. But at some parts, she acted like immature spoiled brat, made me wanna slap her several times or scream at her: “Grow the hell up”. She needed to gather het wits. And suddenly she started to like Rafael. It was as fast as LDC’s (as Brad Pitt mentioned)love life St. Tropez (as Taylor Swift mentioned at “Man” song) I kept asked myself: wait a minute! I didn’t expect something so slow-burn but we didn’t see the fire at all. When you click “insta love” on google, you may see this book’s cover which makes sense.

And Xander, you beautiful soul, I want to sing Smooth Criminal with new lyrics for you as like: Xander are you O.K.? Xander are you O.K.? Are you O.K. Xander?

The plot is also intriguing: Different houses come together to choose mates for ruling different kingdoms but he participants have to pass the tests by achieving some tasks. And Lyana has to choose her prince from “House of Whispers” ( Did I tell you that how much I loved the world building of this book! It is FANTASTIC!) But instead of real prince, she gets the prince’s bastard brother.
I already gave the romantic relationship which was a little weird for me because it was so fast and I didn’t notice the existence of chemistry between the couple. But the cliffhanger and twisty turn of the story intrigued me more and I wanted to read more because the author was really smart, original and her writing style is captivating. It didn’t bore me for a second. So yes, I want to read more and learn more about these characters’ upcoming adventures.

However the romance part failed for me, I liked the character development, unique, original world building, I loved supporting characters, especially Xander and also Cassie. The ending was heart throbbing and clever. Pacing was great: Not too slow to make you yawn or not to fast make you go back and read some parts to get the story. So I rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 and I will be so happy to read the sequels.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kaityln Davis for sharing this intriguing, brand new series’ ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.

This is a romance centered story within an amazingly unique world. Set in a world where islands float high in the sky, magic is forbidden and people have wings, we have a great fantasy setting and interesting characters. 

We follow the mischevious Princess Lyana as she and the other Princes and Princesses in the Kingdom participate in mating games. Lyana is a free spirit but her whole life has been predetermined for her, and her willingness to escape the confines of her planned future drives the plot in an interesting direction. 

Lyana's fun and sassy friend Cassi is a great side character. She has interesting chapters from her perspective that reveal secrets and plots that are brilliant at adding suspense to the story and foreshadowing for the reader. 

The other two characters we follow are the identical half-brothers, Xander and Rafe. Xander is the crowned Prince of the House of Whispers, and has to sends his half brother into the mating games in his stead. However, Rafe has to pretend to be the Prince so that the true Princes' secret is not revealed. Xander is a lovely character whose heart is full of love for his people. Rafe is hot and broody. He is a bastard and disliked by most of the House of Whispers because when he was a child he survived when he shouldn't have. Xander and Rafe have a complicated dynamic and their relationship adds to the story. 

The world-building is interesting and unique and romance-driven. The plot could get a little infuriating at times when nothing ever goes right for the characters. This is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde,  but I am not familiar with it so I can't say for certain how close it is to the original. The story is full of cringe moments and missteps. There is enough thwarted romance and bad luck to fill many more books. 

This is the first book in a series called The Raven and the Dove, and the set-up for the next book was done well. I am anxious to see what happens to these characters and where this plot goes. 

Happy Reading !

Gizelle  ✨

I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review or rating in any way

There has been so much hype about this book on Bookstagram that I knew I was going to love it. Plus, who couldn't fall in love with a book with such a dreamy cover? The story created between all of the characters was hard to follow at first. I was confused as to who the boy was in the first chapter and things got even more confusing when characters were only referred to as birds. Another challenge I had reading was some drama for the sake of drama. Sometimes it can be hard to get through reading a section of a book where you are just screaming, "please just say what you know already and stop hiding it from everyone!" Unnecessary drama is one of my reading pet peeves. There are other ways to create conflict that seems more realistic. Despite these challenges, I really did enjoy the world-building in The Rave and The Dove. I loved the idea of forbidden magic and an almost bachelor-like plotline. Davis created a new world that I wouldn't mind being a part of and recommending to friends and students. The Raven and the Dove is perfect for fantasy fans and those of us who wish The Selection/The Bachelor had a bit more magic to it.


*I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Great storyline! Great characters and a great bit of worldbuilding.
Loved Rafe and Xander's characters. Got a bit fed up with Ana towards the end. Overall a good read

A very nice retelling. And the cover is beautiful! The story kept me very interested along the way. I was happy to see how the characters were mostly realistic. Although the instant love between Lyana and Rafe felt a tad unbelievable initially.

RATINGS :-
Plot : 3/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 4/5
OVERALL RATING : 4/5

Genre : Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

Date of Release: March, 2020

“This feeling that I was meant for something more. A yearning in my gut, a beating of my heart, sense that my destiny is bigger than what’s expected of me. ”
Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

A princess longing to be free…

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong…

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.


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The Raven and the Dove is a brand new gripping fantasy set in a world of supernatural creatures. The story revolves around a dove named Lyana , the princess of the House of Peace who saves Rafe, a raven and an illegitimate son of the late King of the House of Whispers from a dragon. During this course, both of them, unaware of each others’ true identity end up revealing their deepest secrets to each other. The story takes an unexpected yet great turn when Lyana and Rafe after knowing the truth behind their true identities are forced to stay away from each other. The dark conspiracies parallel to their story is quite remarkable as well!

The plot was really diverse and yet very gripping. It was quite charming on it’s own and did not have to depend on characters or any other elements to shine. I really was not expecting it to be one of those plot which would always keep me on my toes. But, I was proved wrong! The plot was extraordinary!

“Rafe had his answer- love was worth any cost. Even when it was a breif star shooting across the night sky, gone before he could even hold it for a moment. It was worth it.”
The characters were quite interesting as well. I liked the character developments throughout. It was quite smooth and well paced as well.

The writing style of Kaitlyn Davis really surprised me! I mean I did not have much high expectations as usually many cannot really pull off the whole fantasy genre. But, I was proved wrong! Kaitlyn Davis really blew me away! I really admire her writing! And I can’t wait to see more growth in her writing style now!
I would recommend The Raven and the Dove to all the lovers of fantasy with strong female leads and gripping politics and conspiracies!

Truth time. I requested this one because the cover made me laugh so hard. Rhysand and an average beautiful girl in a beautiful gown, I had to read that.
This book is not that bad but its not even good. Tristan and Isolde? Lamely.
It's so senselessly complicated, there's insta love thrown at your face, the romance is boring, the whole narrative looks so much like an infinite prologue of facts, things and introduction that it's all I hate in a fantasy book and if I ever read again the word MATE I'll throw up but I appreciated the discussion around disability, the world building was so so bad but it still, the whole story is very atmospheric. I don't know, it's obviously not a read for me but I see plenty of readers been attracted by it and love it.

I really enjoyed this one! Lyanna and Casi's friendship was great, as well as the relationship between the two brothers. After reading so many fantasy books, It was refreshing to have something new! I have never read a book like this where the characters have wings and are from different houses. The plot seemed a little slow at times, but overall, I liked it a lot!

DNF

The setup and characters aren't working for me, unfortunately. However, I will definitely give this author another shot in the future.

I devoured this book in two days. A page turner for sure and my only negative is that it ended and now I'll have to wait for the next book to read more of the amazing adventure the characters have taken me on.

From the very first page, I knew I was going to love this book and I wasn't wrong. The writing was superb, the world-building amazing, and the characters were so real. I could almost feel the wind ruffling my feathers and the longing Lyana had to escape and explore the world.

This is definitely a story that fans of Sarah J Maas will love. There are characters to root for and those that will shock you. I gasped out loud on numerous occasions as things weren't as they seemed. There is intrigue, adventure, danger, and more with every turn of the page and I felt as if I were part of the story.

Lyana is the princess and the main character but we get chapters from different characters too including Rafe, Xander, Cassi, and the twists and turns are so well done. The magic felt real as did every character.

Without giving any spoilers, I will say, be prepared for a very late night once you start reading this book because you won't be able to put it down.

Utterly devastating in parts, this is a story that will burrow its way into your heart and have you gasping, sighing, smiling, and more. A YA novel that is bound to soar high in 2020.

A big thank you to Netgalley and the author, Kaitlyn Davis for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Fantasy romance done right.

I got this book as an eARC from the author. The cover intrigued me most. There is the opposite of light and dark, the male and the female and obviously, the Avian people aspect of the story clearly present.

Eventually I started reading the book and oh, wow, what a treat this is. You are introduced into the world of the Avian people who reside in courts high up above the clouds in their own realms, untouched by whatever happens below the clouds. They have their own religion and their own ways of passing the rule onto their next generation.

As the story starts the next trials are just about to take place, where the youngsters just about coming into adulthood are to compete against each other and then get to choose a mate depending on where they placed themselves during the trials. We meet Lyana, princess of the Court of Peace, representing the doves and her best friend Cassi, an owl, who was found a long time ago and got accepted into the court due to Lyana insisting on it.

And Lyana we find out quite quickly is a strong minded young woman. She sets out with Cassi on one last adventure before she will be mated for life, and as so often, things happen.

We also meet Rafe and Xander, both of the raven Court of Whisper. They are bastard and crown prince and come from a court that has been very unsuccessful during the last couple of trials. They desperately need new blood and therefore a high score in the trials in order to be able to choose.

In this first book of a series that is currently outlined into 4 books, we are introduced into the world of the Avian people, get to know the main characters of this story and learn about their beliefs, their world and also the cracks that start to show when you start to scratch the surface.

The story in itself is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde and we meet starstruck lovers that just cannot come together. The romance in this book is well done. So very well done.

We also get all the inklings that the story is much broader and bigger than what it currently appears to be. And so, there is that, the promise of more, more adventures and heartbreak and maybe, in the end, a happy ending?

I utterly enjoyed this first part of the story and am already very much looking forward to the next instalment, as the author has chosen quite a few tropes that I am curious to see if she is able to avoid all the pitfalls that come with them.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.


This was a solid romantic, adventure fantasy jaunt.
It's got forbidden magic, a wild free-spirited princess, a bastard who is only trying to help win the best match for his people in place of his brother the real prince, who due to a minor deformity cannot compete in the courtship trials to the same degree.
Their people- Ravens from the House of Whispers have been left out of a true match from the trials for nearly generations, their mother, the first princess in ages to bring home a match from the House of Prey, who had a wandering eye. This is the cause for Rafe, the black mark on their family and people feels like he needs to do this for his brother, Xander. And win his people the highest match possible.

Lyanna is a princess of the Doves of the House of Peace, free spirited, with forbidden magic that would result in her immediate death if ever discovered. Hiding it from everyone for years. As a second princess, she knows she will leave her home after the courtship trials and become crown princess of another house, and eventually Queen. But she longs to know what's below their floating world, what lurks beyond the thick white mists. She longs for adventure.

A spy hidden in plain sight waits. Waits for the day very soon, that a sign will come and all will be revealed. That will show that that Lyanna is the Queen who was prophesied to save the world below the mists. They will set things into motion when the time is right. And all will be revealed.

A ruthless King below the mists waits for the day when the queen who will come, will finally be his.

Solid world building, the bird people are a really cool premise. I like a good prophecy. While I feel like Rafe is a little better developed emotionally than Lyanna, I'm sure we'll see a lot more development from her character in the next book. There's a lot she didn't sign up for, and she's going to be pretty angry about it.

4.5* - eARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

I actually don’t have a whole lot to say other than that I really enjoyed it. It was a really easy read, a unique and interesting retelling of Tristan and Isolde. A love story. A betrayal. A tragedy. All as you would expect but all with a distinctive and compelling avian twist. The characters were likeable, the plot was intriguing and the pace was spot on, the pages literally flew by.

My only criticism, which is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, is that the author had a tendency to repeat things in patterns of three. The fact that I picked up on it meant it was slightly annoying. But otherwise, it’s well worth a read if you like YA fantasy with star crossed lovers. Oh and there’s dragons!

A princess longing to be free...

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong...

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart...

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.- Goodreads

I am not going to lie. I picked up this book for the cover. Seeing and reading about a Black fairy is huge (even though there were some suspicious scenes in the book). I enjoyed this cover and seeing this Black fairy do her thing. 

With that being said. . . this book wasn't for me. NOT because there was actually anything wrong with the book. It played on the cliche of a love triangle, forbidden love, betrayals a bit too much and what I meant by that is nothing was brought to this long worn table; it was just with dragons and faeries as opposed to humans. 

However, with that being said the world building in this novel was great and the author did a fantastic job with pace, details and creating the romance.  While I see others completing enjoying it what caused me to lose interest was Rafe. How and why Lyana feel in love with him I will never know. He had no personality. If it had nothing to do with his brother he didn't want anything to do with it. I liked the young king and his part in the story but I couldn't stand Rafe.

Overall, there are a lot of people that are going to flock over this book. My thing is if you are going to do the same trope, do something new. 

2 Pickles

If you were to ask me my favorite genre, I would blink at you like an owl with a bemused expression for a solid minute. That being said, if I sit back and think about it, I can get very specific. My absolute favorite stories are dark-ish epic (or new adult) fantasy / fairy tale retelling. Opening this book was like feeding a vice. I read the whole thing in one sitting, in one day. No small feat considering the book is pretty hefty. Totally worth it. I regret nothing. 

Tristan and Isolde is not a common tale to retell in a fantasy setting. It is, perhaps, more tragic than most. That being said, this story is AMAZING. Caps lock justified. I promise. The world building is fantastic. The characters are complex and multilayered. The plot is developing. I am 100% here for all of it. 

This book is the first in a new series. The ending of this individual book is absolutely unsatisfying; that is kind of the point though. If you cannot handle cliff hangers, fantasy, before the whole series is out, is probably not for you. This is no exception. However, if, like me, it doesn't bother you a bit to read them as they come out, because you are going to read the series five or six times anyway, grab it. Immediately. May I suggest a pre-order.

The characters in this story are exquisitely crafted. They are complex, they make mistakes, they celebrate victories, they feel real. My favorite character is Xander, the Raven Crown Prince. While I understand Lyana's disappointment, I absolutely could not share it. Xander is husband material. For Sure. 

I am hardcore in love with this world. I cannot wait  to read the rest of the series! 

This was my first Kaitlyn Davis, but it will not be my last. I have an entire back catalog to read. YAY!

I freaking LOVED this book and am currently dead over that ending. Yes, this is my ghost giving you this review from the afterlife because I need to screech about this incredible story that you all need to read as soon as possible.

Lyana is the daughter of the doves and she is strong and capable and a total badass. I adore her. She's the best and she just wants a life of happiness and real love. But she has a magic that her people think is a mark of evil, so she must hide a part of herself that she wishes she could embrace.

Rafe is a bastard son of the ravens, and he too possesses magic. His half brother, Xander, the crown prince, is the only one who knows about him, and he has to keep it that way, for he is not loved by his people as Lyana is by hers.

Together, the two of them could be happy, they could share their secrets and be themselves with the one person they knew without a doubt could love every part of them. BUT, after the tournament to determine who would marry who, Lyana finds herself tied to Xander, the brother of the raven she thought she was choosing.

Xander is a kind brother and a good prince. He cares deeply about his people and loves his books. He just wants to keep everyone happy, and though Lyana didn't mean to choose him, he wants to try and find happiness with her. He doesn't believe his brother would come between them, because he trusts them both. He wants to believe the best in them.

And then there's Cassi, the master spy who has been living with the doves and plans to bring about the fall of them all, working for a king in another world to take Lyana from the ones she loves and froce her to fulfill and prophecy Cassi believes will make everything better.

These four characters are going to change their world and I love them all, but they also kill me because I want them all to be happy and the end of this book absolutely DESTROYED me and now I can't wait for the next book in this incredible new series! You definitely do not want to miss out on this one.

RATING: 4/ 5 STARS

This is how you write a fairytale retelling ladies and gentlemen.

Raven and Dove is about star-crossed lovers, trials, courtship, brotherhood, fate, betrayal and A PROPHECY. If you are interested in all those themes you will be happily served with this book.

Plot In a land where crown princes and princesses from seven different houses have to be mated, the fate of Lyana Aethionus, crown princess collides with the fate of Lysander “Xander” Taethionus and his almost-identical bastard step-brother Rafe. However what is at stake is bigger than a simple love triangle….I liked the fact that the story stayed true to Tristan and Isolde while also being original. While all of these elements can seem a little overwhelming I can guarantee you that the plot was captivating and unique. I liked how there were several plot twists and betrayals and that the story is not only centered on Lyana but that there is a broader (and darker) picture with the prophecy and King Malek.

There’s also the fact that one of the character is disabled and I liked how that was treated in the story because the message is that your disability does not diminish you and it certainly does not define you.

Writing style I highly enjoyed the attention to details, whether it was in the world-building, descriptions or in the dialogues. They are what made the world-building well-developed and well-researched and mostly, believable. The story had a good pace and nothing felt rushed even though there were many elements to take in for the reader. I love how the theme of deceit is woven throughout the story and how the plot unfolds as an enigma with clues and foreshadowing distilled throughout the book.

The setting of this book was truly beautiful and I could almost see vividly the landscapes at times. The origins and history in the book were so clever and interesting; I loved that!

Characters I loved the multiple POVs; it was wonderfully done. I feel like we really heard each of the characters’s voice through their POV and what made them all stand out. I have to say that Rafe’s POV was my favourite.

I liked how Lyana was headstrong and confident! She was not your typical princess and she was the perfect female main character.

The romance I liked how the author took subtle elements of Tristan and Isolde such as the star-crossed lovers trope and how well it fit the story. The courtship trials were very exciting to read about and I liked how fate came into play. I loved Lyana’s interaction with the two brothers and how we saw how different her relationship with both of them was.

Ending I am happy to observe that the book ended well enough and it made me want to read the second book ASAP!!

Overall review: this book was a breath of fresh air and I cannot wait for the world to read this gem! Honorable mention to the fact that Lyana is a dark-skinned character! That was so refreshing to read about. It was subtly hinted at, and changed nothing to the story but I really loved that.

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I would like to let you know that the author is hosting a pre-order giveaway! (US-only, unfortunately…)

Everyone who pre-orders an ebook will receive an exclusive double-sided art print (one side with character art by Salome Totladze and the other with the world map). Everyone who orders a print edition (hardcover or paperback) will receive the same double-sided print, plus a bookmark and a signed book plate/sticker to attach to their copy!

More details about the pre-order give away can be found here: https://www.kaitlyndavisbooks.com/p/p…

"A shiver darted up Lyana's spine, but it wasn't from the cold. It was the thrill of standing at the edge of the unknown, the ache of wondering what the future would bring, the anticipation of so many sleepless nights and vivid daydreams finally coming to fruition!"

This wonderful story takes place in an avian world, far above the Sea of Mist. There are various islands ruled by different royal houses and inhabited by different winged people. Our main character, the dove Lyana, is the princess of the House of Peace. There are six other houses, like the House of Whispers inhabited by the secretive ravens and the House of Wisdom inhabited by the studious owls. The different gods, rituals and mindsets of the islands added to the worldbuilding and made this avian world more interesting.

Now, Lyana turns eighteen soon, but before that, she has to participate in the courtship trials and choose a mate. Lyana's parents have chosen Damien, the prince of the House of Flight, as her mate. Lyana however, may not want to follow her parents' orders but choose her own fate. She craves freedom.

Lyana is strong-minded and helps people no matter the consequences. She is accompanied by her best friend Cassi. Cassi's character takes an unexpected turn halfway into the book, she is led by duty and blinded by love. I won't go any further into her character, as I don't want to spoil this magnificent story. We also have broody Rafe, the bastard prince of the House of Whispers. He is consumed by grief and feels hated by everyone but his brother Xander, the actual crown prince. This love goes so far that Rafe takes Xanders place in the trials since they are based on physical strength and Xander is disabled. He lacks a limb and is a scholar, a peacemaker where Rafe is the warrior. Xander plans and Rafe acts.

I loved the way the story progressed and the characters became more fleshed out. The ending, a cliffhanger, has me craving for more and I can't wait to dive into this amazing world again.

"That feeling of freedom, of not having to hide, of being woven so closely nothing could ever undo them, that was love"

I want to thank Kaitlyn Davis and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This review will be posted to the Barnes & Noble website as well as Goodreads on the publication date, March 9th 2020. Please contact me if you would like for this review to be published elsewhere or at another date.

Okaaaay, so I definitely wasn’t prepared to care about this book by the end, but holy crap, it was so GOOD. I care. And I definitely will be reading the rest of this series, no questions.

Basically different houses (different courts) come together and chose mates who will rule the different kingdoms through a showing of strength and other various tasks. After meeting each other under dangerous but memorable circumstances, Lyana is set out to chose the prince of the House of a Whispers during the ceremony. What she doesn’t realize is, her prince has is own secrets. He’s not the Prince, but the Princes bastard brother in disguise as him.

The characters were so well-crafted. Each had a distinct personality that was easily defined. Lyana craved her freedom and sought happiness which paved the way for a stubborn protagonist. I loved it. Rafe allowed grief to consume him, thus granting him the title of complete asshole. Cassi was led by duty and blinded by love. And Xander was....he was just the cinnamon roll.

Every single one had their own unique story in which I was interested. Whether it was a stubborn princess with a knack for trouble, a bastard born son who went the extra mile to stay out of the way, a soldier sworn to her king, or a boy trying to find the good in everyone around him, I was here for it. All of it.

The world building was quite interesting. Above, the people have wings and don’t possess magic. If they do, they’re killed for it. Below the mist, the people HAVE magic but have one wing or no wings, because they were shunned from above.

It’s funny because I didn’t actually care during those first one hundred pages of Lyana preparing to chose a mate. It wasn’t that it was poorly written, or boring, I just went in with the idea that it wouldn’t wow me. Kaitlyn, however, had different plans for me.

Let’s just go ahead and skip to that ending. (Spoilers)

Through the book, Cassi visits her King Malek who she reports to about Rafe and Lyana. By the time that wicked climax comes to pass, the King comes to the world above and he and Cassi cause quite a bit of trouble for Xander and Lyana during their ceremony. It ends with Rafe losing a wing and being what we assume-but-don’t-really-assume is killed, Xander being stabbed and revived, and Lyana being captured by King Malek who cuts her wing as well 😭.

It’s funny, this book did not seem capable of reaching such dark depths, but it DID. I thought it was too delicate of a book, but it wasn’t! My god was I slapped in the face with that ending. Loved it. Need more.

I do have one it’s-probably-just-me complaint though. The moment Rafe decides to play along with Lyana and actually be with her for one night. That was rushed. It felt super rushed. It’s a romance so give me those details to some degree! I get that we needed to get to Xander walking in on them, but like have one of them remember the night. Go back to it. Do something. I wanted more from their ONE romantic night together.

<i>The world will fracture, splinter in two,
One made of gray, the other of blue.
Beasts will emerge, filled with fury and scorn,
Fighting to recover what from their claws we have torn.
Two saviors will arise, one above, one below,
A king born in fire and a queen bred of snow.
Together they will heal that which we broke,
With magic and spirit, with mirrors and smoke.
But only on the day when the sky does fall,
Will be revealed the one who will save you all.</i>

Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A world full of feathers and wings, of forbidden magic, forbidden love.
The princess has healing hands, a magic that could be punished by death. But when she meets a boy who happens to have magic in his veins, she feels certain. That will be her family, her future.
But nothing goes according to plan.
The princess leaves her family for the place of a queen, her wings so white her mates wings seem even darker.
The prince waited so long for a mate, for someone on his side. He waited so long, hoped so much that he didn’t see what was coming.
No one did.

There are books you start to read where you are sucked into the story in 0,003 seconds and your like: <i>why do I need sleep? A job? Social life? </i>
And then there are books where you need a few pages to get in.
Even though I had both types of this book in my life I can’t tell you which one this one is.
I can only tell you one thing: I liked it.
I really, really enjoyed it.
It was filled with magic, adventure, intrigues, spies and betrayals, with hidden kings and healing powers.
It was wonderful.
Can’t wait for book two.

Character 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The princess is called Lyana and that made me instantly think of Game of thrones and Lyana Stark. A brave, strong lady with a heart of gold.
And what can I say? They were very much alike.
I loved Lyana - aka Ana from the start.
I always love strong minded, brave woman in books/shows/movies and Ana was one of them.
She protected the one she loves and the innocent. She healed the injured even though she risked her life by doing it.
Everyone loved her.
She had all of them around her little finger.
Especially the men in her family.
I also loved that she was one of these people who always long for adventure and freedom and who in the end get what they want but only by a high price.
Rafe was this broody guy that would do anything for his big brother. Even take his place so they would win the competition.
He was a sad, insecure, tortured soul that only wanted to be happy. At least a little bit.
Xander was a real royal prince who was extremely loyal to his subjects. He did everything for them, sacrificed things, his pride, so they could be happy.
So his kingdom could have a princess.
Cassi was Anas best friend and did everything for her, but with every thought she thought, with every thing she did it felt harder and harder for her to keep her secret.
And after she was pushed too far even her strong willed loyalty couldn’t hold itself.
The strange underground king - Malek was one of the interesting ones. He definitely seemed to be the villain of the story. But with every word I read I realized that he reminded me of the Darkling (Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo). Both of them are the “villains” of the story, but don’t see themselves as a villain, as the evil of the story - they have a purpose - they want to make the world a better place, they want to save their people. And maybe their goal is the right one, but the way to it is so so complicated.
All in all I really liked the characters and cant wait to see what the future brings them.

World 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The world consists of feather and wings, of people who serve the gods but would punish magic in the veins of others.
They are all so different, but beautiful in their own way.
Owl wings, dove wings, Raven wings.
There were traditions, rituals and competition that showed the depth of the world building and the description of the world itself was beautiful.

Relationships 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I have no idea if the thing in this book can be called a love triangle, or not.
When Rafe and Ana met I knew instantly that they belonged together. Not only was their magic so similar, they both kept it a secret from their kingdom.
But then they found each other, only to be ripped apart. Again and again.
Ana was mated with Xander - the real prince of the ravens. His half brother only competed for him, because Xander had a handicap that made it nearly impossible for him to win.
But he needed to win. They needed a strong mate, a future queen.
And they got one.
But when Ana realizes the feud she is devastated. She thought she finally met someone where she could just be herself.
Xander and Ana were friendly to each other, but I never felt a spark. And when I read about Xander’s love and hobbies I thought that Ana wasn’t a good fit for him.
Cassi was. (Ship them!)
And Ana definitely needed someone different (Rafe, cough cough). But who knows what the future will bring.
But poor Rafe - he only wanted someone to love him the way he was. And he got that love from his brother. But it wasn’t the same. It didn’t feel the same after he met Ana.
Nothing felt the same. He was so sad, so heartbroken, it made me so so sad 😞
There was a little interesting twist that made the story even more appealing. A strange underworld king appears and wants to take Ana with him. I don’t really know if I like him, but I guess he’s the “villain” and I always love the evil ones, because they are the most interesting- most of the time.
But we’ll see...

Writing style 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The writing itself is in a fast comfortable pace written in different POVs. We get to see inside the thoughts and actions of the main characters and sometimes it’s surprising what we read there.

Can’t wait for book two!