Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

The Raven Heir is a middle grade fantasy that all ages can enjoy. I loved the premise - I would also love to see more books with it. The story follows Cordelia, who is one of the triplets. One of the triplets is supposed to be the Raven Heir but no one knows which one was born first. Their mom keeps this from them and keeps them hidden for their own safety. Each twin has powers that they come into - Cordelia is a shape shifter and can turn into any animal she wants. The author does a great job at describing everything in this story, giving you the feel that you are there. You can feel the exhilaration as Cordelia flies through the air! Overall I thought it was a really good read and am excited for the next book to come out!

I think for most adults reading this book the pacing might feel off but I think for children reading this, the fast-paced ending won't feel rushed but rather keep them engaged. I thought this was such a wonderful story and cannot wait for book 2.

A great fantasy novel with fun characters and exciting magic. A great read for those who loved Ella Enchanted and its ilk, with plenty of fairy tale vibes.

This is a fun, fast paced middle grade fantasy that is packed with magic and family secrets. The worldbuilding is really fantastic and you can't help but love Cordelia!

I personally think people skip middle grade books because they're for "younger children" but some of them have some really hard hitting topics that even as an adult, can shake your world up.

This title focuses around family; not the family you're born into but the family you choose and I think (as someone who grew up in a toxic household) that is something that people need to be reminded. That family is family, blood or not.

I enjoyed reading the adventure and the bonds that were made in this book.

This is a really great and magical middle grade fantasy. It was easy to read and easy to understand and a great stepping stone for fantasy lovers.

A brilliant middle grade fantasy novel, with a very interesting plot and great plot twists ! I was very surprised of how much I enjoyed this book. It was very unique with its own magic and own tricks. One of the character, Cordelia, can change into any animals she wants which is super helpful during a fight, isn’t it ? I really liked that the characters were triplets, I think it’s the first book I read when the plot is set around triplets and the fact that one has more power than the others, but they don’t really know who it is.

How stunning is this cover ? This is (personally) the reason why I wanted to read this book. I love the colours and how the drawing of the animals spirit. It matches perfectly the book.

If you are looking for a fantasy novel for a young reader this one is perfect to start or continue to read! I think it could be the first one I would get my children to read if they ask me for a fantasy novel, when they are older.

The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis tells a tale of triplets and their sorceress mother who have lived in an enchanted forest. Their mother trying to hide them from a long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom beyond because she knew that being named heir means certain death. That's why she hid the truth about which child is the eldest. Until one day, when their mother is captured, it’s up to Cordelia (one of the triplets) to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir.

✨ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭
This book is another great middle-grade story that could be enjoyed by both children and adults. The world was very whimsical and magical.

I love all magical aspects of this story, how each of the triplets has their power - Cordelia's shapeshifting power, Gils' music, and Rosalind's strength, and how it expanded during their adventures.

Family bonding was another thing that I adore from this story. Despite their differences at the end of the day, they are there to protect each other.

I only have a slight problem with Cordelia's attitude in the beginning. She acted "I shouldn't be tame so let me rebel" is somewhat felt off. It made her look like a kid who was simply ignorant and rebellious instead of someone who was trying to prove herself. Although I understand that what she had done in beginning was the key moment for the story, I think it will be better if the reason why the story started wasn't because of some "acting out" moment of a little girl.

Final Rating: 4,5

Non-spoilers:
I actually really liked this book! I loved the message it brought to the table in that family doesn't always have to be blood, family is what you make it and it takes time and patience. I loved the main character and her powers, not to mention her siblings! I think for a middle grade this is perfect for its target audience and even for people not in that audience, i.e me. It gets right into the action from page one, but I do feel like there is a bit of a pacing issue during the second half of the book. I can't wait to see where is series goes in future books!!

Spoilers (kind of):

I think for a middle grade book this has a very good plot (one of which would have captivated me at a younger age). Like I said in my non-spoiler review I think the pacing is a bit fast, the action starts from page one, her mother being taken away by a duke and duchess. When reading this it kind of was a slap in the face, more in a good way then bad, there was really no introduction besides one page in which we learn that Cordelia can change into animals, the BOOM! action. The good thing is that this is balanced out in the fact that there are flashbacks scattered through out the book, so we learn about the past and are not clueless through out the book. Another problem with the pacing is that the triplites travel through out the woods (right after they escaped from their castle after their mother was taken away) then BOOM! their kidnapped by their evil grandmother, this happens with multiple events in which there is just a TON of action in such a short time span. I think this fact can also play into how captivating this might be for younger readers, but its just something I notice as someone who reads more then middle grade.

I really loved the setting in this book, I don't really have anything bad to say about it! I loved how they just casually lived in the woods for their whole life up to this point, in which people think of them as the witch's children. I loved the description of the mountain which they go to to find the broken crown, as well as the description during the very end in which they have a parade of sorts for Cordelia.

I LOVE HER SIBLINGS, not just the triplets I loved her older brother as well. They were truly living in the pages, Cordelia and her siblings. They were given hobbies and interests that we as readers can relate to, which is a props to the author! They had their moments, good and bad, which WE ALL CAN RELATE TOO!!! I think the characters were the strongest part in this book and I can't wait to see where they go in the rest of the series!!

Overall I think this is a great book if you are looking for a fun, light hearted middle-grade fantasy for a young one or even yourself!!

It was an adventurous reading for me. I enjoy following the triplets' journey in the story. Love how they interact each other especially when arguing. 🤣 I can say this book makes me miss  my siblings so much.
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Besides the synopsis, I got hooked with the beautiful cover at first sight. I like how it turns so accurately with the story inside.
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The story so magical and has beautiful setting description. I like the perfect ending and now curious what will be a sequel book.
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Overall, this book perfect for middle grade fantasy fans. If you're looking forward for family bound, adventure story, and trust, you can try to read 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙧.
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I gave 4.5⭐ for this book.

A little while ago, The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart was recommended to me. I went to the library to borrow it, but it was lost in the catalog. They decided to buy a new copy and bought the entire series, but it didn't come in until after the libraries shut down indefinitely. Since then, I have bought a copy, but have not yet read it. Thus, when I saw The Raven Heir come across my possibilities, I couldn't help but jump at the opportunity to read and review it. I love every single minute of it. Many pages made me joyfully reminiscent of [book:Jinx|15818254]. A set of triplets make of the spine of this story and as a reader one is able to adventure on a fast-paced with plenty of thoughtful fodder journey. I really recommend this read for those that love nature and "peace on earth". There are so many elements that I want to talk about, but I don't want to give it away because it such a good experience. I'll definitely be looking to add a copy of this to my library so that my children can read it.

I read this as an eARC, and later LibbyApp eBook for review purposes.

Thanks to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Children's Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Raven Heir follows the perspective of a chaotic shape-changer named Cordelia who desperately wants to protect her siblings.

It's not a bad book, it's got some pretty interesting world building and ruthless adults in here which makes the stakes higher. I mainly didn't like the ending at all, it felt very unsatisfying.

The siblings were hilarious and snippy with one another, it was hilarious but also had realistic sibling-style dialogue.

Cordelia's almost animalistic personality made the shape-changing powers pretty fascinating, usually shape-changers in fiction never experience "side-effects" to an extent in that they'd forget who they are. Cordelia works well as an animal, no matter the form, but her siblings break her out of her stupor often.

A fun adventure romp.

This medieval-style fantasy for middle-grade kids will appeal to any reader who loves both a magical world/system and the middle age time period. I love that the MC has a sort of wild magic that is hard for her to control.

At the beginning, I felt a bit of a mix of intrigue and annoyance. I loved the setting and was curious about the life the characters were living there. What was their pasttime? Who were these people? What’s up with the magic?
Cordelia wasn’t my favourite person at the beginning. There was something about her that rubbed me wrong, like her inability to believe that her mother would make rules with a purpose and not just to annoy her. Or to believe her older brother. (However, that might just be the oldest sister in me talking.) I did understand the fundamentals of the character though. Cordelia’s need to be free stems from the wild magic inside her, and I liked that the author stayed so true to those instincts Cordelia carried inside her. Cordelia is very emotional but rather bad at expressing those feelings to other people which makes for some interesting dynamics.
Her triplet siblings, Giles and Rosalind, were the same, in a way. Unapologetically sticking to the things they love. Even their magic manifested in a certain way that was very fitting for them.

The story is carried by secrets and riddles. After the siege on the triplets home and after their mother and brother were captured, Cordelia and her siblings have to flee into the forest. They are hunted and betrayed and have to figure out a way to find and save their mother. There is so much to discover, so many secrets to uncover on the triplet’s way to protect their family and to – more or less – bring a kingdom to its knees.
There is also so much magic. I loved it. I was so psyched every time magic was happening and to see in what different ways it manifested itself. The shapeshifting, Giles’ music, Rosalind’s strench, Connal’s natural magic…it was just so exciting.

All in all, I had great fun. The pacing was excellent and I just flew through the pages. There was magic and secrets and danger and sibling bonds and I enjoyed it very much.

The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis is a middle grade fantasy about a set of magical triplets, two warring dynasties, and a broken crown waiting for its rightful owner.

The story is narrated from one of the triplets POV. We learn about their relationship, their characters, their magic and the world as it is now and how it was a long time ago through their experiences.
The triplets are so different from one another and have very different powers, but together they make a perfect team and their differences complement each other. I don't want to spoil any part of the story including which powers belong to whom because when I read the book I had no idea about that and it was fun finding out. I enjoyed the sibling relationship full of love and bickering.
I wanted to read this book because of the cover. It is so beautiful and illustrates the story perfectly.
The Raven Heir is a fun read. My favourite parts are the shape-shifting and the conversations through thoughts. I also want to have magic powers and shift into any animal whenever I want.

Two important things the book teaches are what power or the thought of it can do and that blood is not the only thing that makes a family

This is a great read for anyone that likes magic, adventures, family relationships, animals and nature.

I received an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours, Stephanie Burgis, Netgalley, and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

My first experience with Burgis was when I read The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart – which I absolutely ADORED by the way – so I was excited to be able to read a new start to a new series! This was especially exciting to read, and I’m so glad that I had this opportunity.

This has the makings of a great fantasy story from the get-go, and honestly I would love to see it adapted into a movie or a TV show or something! We have magical triplets – TRIPLETS! – and we have two dynasties at war – we adore warring families – and the need to find the rightful heir to the throne. This sounds really freaking epic, and it was that plus more!


There is danger, secrets abound, and the relationships between family and those bonds that are just too strong to break, or are they? We mostly follow Cordelia, who may or may not be the eldest of the triplets, and her quest to protect her family and herself from death and destruction. This was such a beautiful middle grade fantasy and I have officially added Burgis to my favorite author list. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series, and the rest of the Tales from the Chocolate Heart series. This one definitely felt a little darker than the other series, which I really liked, and I am so glad that this book exists!

This was a fun, fast paced adventurous middle grade that I’m so glad I was able to read. I found Burgis’ writing to be engaging and never felt like it was patronizing the younger audience. The magic system felt unique to this world, while still feeling familiar. However, the magic was never truly explain – we did get a little backstory on the world and that magic existed, but nothing explaining its limits.

We follow the triplets, although our POV is through Cordelia only. I found Cordelia to be an interesting child – showing loyalty and care for her siblings, but at the same time having the familiar feeling of sibling annoyance. She really connected with me. I love that we see the conflict within Cordelia to wanting to be free and embrace her magic. I loved the snarky thought Cordelia would think and the feelings she would describe while using her magic. I’m being vague because I went into the story not knowing what Cordelia’s magic is and it was a nice surprise to find out just how much she can do. We learn a little bit about her family, but we learn a lot about the past of the world at the same time as Cordelia – writing it this way, I felt was more authentic and felt less like telling me the world’s history.

Cordelia’s triplets (as she refers to them as – she is part of the triplets) were interesting, but didn’t feel very flushed out; however, the did have a nice character arc. We learn more of them as the three of them do – I was surprised by the amount of growth between these three actually. The other members of Cordelia’s family are less focused on. We learn a little bit about them, have a couple of interactions, and then we’re off again. I’m hoping we learn a little bit more about the other characters in future books in this series.

The Raven Heir focuses a lot on family and how family is a feeling more than our blood. I loved that this was the main focus but not the only one. There is a nature element that I found rather interesting and loved how it was integrated into the story. I believe this would be a great read for middle graders who enjoy stories that have magic connecting directly with nature, but enjoy the faced paced adventures. Overall, I found this delightful middle grade to be a comforting 4⭐.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars


Only kids would be excited about a siege to their castle because they never had visitors before and were bored. Reading about the triplets was amusing. It was fascinating to see how these kids brought a kingdom to their (metaphorical) knees. I liked the tiny details added to Cordelia’s shape-shifting nature and the triplets banter. The family dynamics and magic made this book an enjoyable read for me. The ending was perfect, so I can’t wrap my mind around what the next book is going to be on. This is why you shouldn’t be missing The Raven Heir- it’s an unputdownable MG Fantasy with characters that melt your heart with their love and loyalty to their family.


(Thanks for the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the eARC)

It’s always a treat to come upon a new series that you enjoy, and The Raven Heir is a fantastic first book. This should come as no surprise to fans of author Stephanie Burgis who penned the Tales from the Chocolate Heart and the Kat Books.

It’s clear from her writing that Burgis knows her audience well. Her voice is clear, strong and direct, giving readers just the right amount of room in between the text to fill in with their own imaginations. It’s a fantastic way of drawing readers in, and The Raven Heir is better for it.

At the center of the story is Cordelia, an adventurous girl who’s always pushing the boundaries. Close by her side are her triplet siblings Rosalind and Giles. Though not as thoroughly developed, the siblings are strong supporting characters that really enhance the overall feel.

The Raven Heir is a fantasy novel full of magic, but at its heart, it’s about what truly makes a family whole. It’s a fast-moving adventure that’s heart-warming as well. It should appeal to a large cross-section of readers.