This was a book. It had words. The words went together to fork sentences. Those sentences made paragraphs. Eventually it was a story.

Raven: Reawakening by Mitchell Hogan is a thrilling dive into the world of urban fantasy, filled with demons, magic, and a protagonist you won't soon forget. This first installment of the Demonic Designs series promises an exhilarating ride for fans of the genre.

The author creates a gritty and atmospheric world where the supernatural lurks just beneath the surface of everyday life. The city streets come alive with danger and intrigue as Raven navigates her way through the shadows.

Raven herself is a compelling and complex character. Her inner struggles add layers to her character, making her journey all the more gripping. As she delves deeper into the mystery surrounding the demon's reawakening, she discovers shocking truths about herself and her abilities.

The pacing of the story is relentless, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with each twist and turn. The writing is sharp and immersive, painting vivid scenes of action and suspense.

The synopsis make me think of Throne of Glass: badass female assassin. It was action-packed from the start, but unfortunately I can’t finish it. Dnf at 30%. Nothing really happens, and I’m growing tired with the writing style.

Thank you publisher for the ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Raven: Reawakening is a story about a woman whose attempt to leave her former life as an assassin goes wrong, as she's hunted down by unknown forces. I thought that the author did a great job with his description of the action in this book, as well as his emphasis on the characters' otherness. There's a lot of points throughout the book where you're reminded that the main characters differ from regular humans in a lot of ways, especially with aspects like emotional connection.

Though I've noticed from other reviews that this book is supposed to expand upon an already existing world from the author's other books, I hadn't read any of those before reading this, and I found myself fairly confused by a lot of the terminology and characters in the book. For a reader entering this universe for the first time, I struggled with conceptualizing a lot of the book, as there was no real explanation of terms like dusk tide magic or dead-eyes, and new characters were constantly introduced.

If you're a fan of fast-paced fantasy novels with plenty of action scenes, then I would recommend this book. I would suggest reading other books of this author beforehand if you want a better grasp of all the terminology. Overall, I'd give this two and a half stars.

I want to thank Netgalley, Mitchell Hogan, and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to talk about the things that made me dislike this book; first, the magic system. I’m a bit confused about it because it was not properly explained. I feel like that magic system is just existing in the book without giving the reader a background or a structure about it. It was one of the things that disappoints me because I think the magic system has a potential with just the right build-up to it. Honestly, even when I’m 70% into the book I’m still so confused when the characters are talking about the magic system or the objects that are associated with it. I want to fully understand how or why it works. There are also some details in the book that was left out, like some things happens and it doesn’t have any explanation why or how it occurs, like the magic system, it’s just there. Another thing that I found lacking in this book was the chemistry between the characters, especially Raven and Scorpion. It said in the book that they are ex-lovers and the book keeps telling me that they still care for each other but I don’t see it. I just wished that the author explored more in their relationship.

The things that I have positive views on this book are the big casts of characters. They are all interesting in their own way, even the extras. Because of these characters I can see that the world in this book is expanding and I like that. I thought it was just all about Raven, but the characters spreads in this book in each place and it was so interesting to meet them. The characters are not only what helps me go through this book; I think the mystery surrounding the story is intriguing. It was told in a way that is not info-dumping, it was scattered throughout the book and it leaves me wanting to know the whole truth. The fight scenes in this book are also detailed. Like really detailed and there are so many fight scenes in this book. I was actually surprised in the first chapter because it has so much injuries and deaths already. One more thing, I love reading Raven’s character. She is such a brilliant main character because even though her plans go wrong sometimes, she always finds ways to solve her problems. She is also calculative with her plans. It is so interesting to see because she is so cautious to everything. I can see it through her fears but she is so brave and calculative to her every move and it was admiring to read.

Overall, I rated this book 2 out of 5 stars. Even if this book is interesting enough to help me get through it, I feel like it’s not just for me. I have many unanswered questions and there are details that wasn’t enough to satisfy me.

An action packed and adventure novel. Story was well developed and although the author bounced from back flashes of memories to current events it really added to the way the story developed and pulled you in. Couple good twists that we didn't get to see. I wish that we heard the inner dialogue of more than just one character, I would have love to know more about Scorpion as some of the actions maybe would have made a bit more sense and were smoother transitions. That aside it was super enjoyable, a great twist on magic and demons and redemption and second chances. I really enjoyed it and will likely be looking to read the next installment in the series.

This story is about a woman named Raven who was forcibly mixed with a demon by sorcerers who wanted to make better soldiers for the City State. She lost all of her memories and had to kill and carry out other missions for her masters. When she got pregnant she faked her death and hid. Years later she was discovered and set off to find her team mate and lover to find out who wants her dead. She finds out she was betrayed by the one she loves and starts having flashbacks of her life before her transformation.

There is a lot of action in this book which I loved. Sometimes the plot could seem chaotic but I think it's because there was a previous series set in this world that I haven't read but maybe will check out. This was an enjoyable read, although not mind blowing. (less)

Mysterious magical artifacts in a fantasy setting. A middle-aged creation of sorcery has returned to the scene with villains chasing her and allies wanting explanations for her disappearance.

2.7/5 STARS. (Received an e-arc through Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a review).

Honestly, this book just didn't really do it for me. I enjoyed the idea and it felt almost DnD-esque to me at times, which was fun to read! I thought the world-building was done in a very concise way that felt informative but also really easy to digest. I didn't have to re-read a page over and over again to fully understand the context given. I also really enjoyed the writing style. Recently, I have read one too many books that read like a 13 year old wrote them, but this was a splash of fresh air! Although at times the writing fell flat, there were multiple bits of prose that I really enjoyed. Another rose was that it was written in third-person which I love, even the odd flashback chapter written in first person was done really well! I usually hate first-person, but I actually enjoyed it, and it made those moments feel more personable - a really nice touch.

The pacing was ok. It was fast, which was nice as it moved the plot along quickly, which at times is appreciated. But, I also feel that it means that I didn't really get to know any characters / places / lore as much as I wanted to. It feels like such a rich world! And I wish the author had spent a little more time in certain places, giving us a little more information - then I feel like I would've related more to the characters and felt more engaged with the novel.

I rated it rather low because, although the writing-style was nice, it was boring. The writing fell flat at times, so moments that felt almost monumental lacked any kind of feeling behind them. None of the characters seemed super fleshed-out and I definitely prefer character-driven fantasy novels, whereas this felt slightly more plot-driven, despite following Raven's story throughout.

(Side note: a pet peeve of mine is silver / mercury hair in fantasy novels - it feels so overdone).

But, I think it is the perfect book if you want to read a fast-paced fantasy novel!

Raven had been an assassin for the Grim Hand ........ dem0nically altered , she had faked her death to lead a new life free of violence and murder .
But someone knows she is not dead and she is drawn back into a world of intrigue and death .
Can she survive an enemy whose powers exceed her own ............ can she survive her feelings for her old love .?

This is an entertaining fast paced book , full of twists and turns - my only "complaint" is that the story is told by bouncing back and forth from Raven's past to the present which I found hard to follow at times .

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's interesting and dynamic, easy to follow and quite enjoyable. I like that it's pretty fast paced. I kept thinking about Black Widow from the Avengers, at least these are the vibes I got from Raven.

Reluctant assassin who has faked thier own death and has people coming to kill them? Yes, cool, gimme all of that. Which is why I wanted to read this in the first place. The plot is great, the pacing is fantastic and if I am going to compare it to other works, I'd say it gives me Mistborn (The Final Empire) vibes. But from a female's perspective.
Raven was written very well as an assassin and wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley not on her side.

My only issue is that it was missing a little warmth maybe? Thats probably just a me thing, but the reveals felt a little unceremonious, and although the characters displayed emotion, I felt like we were just kinda going through the motions. The feelings never really "stuck", or they were said and not showed.

Otherwise it's a wonderful time, and if you're looking for action, this is a good place to be.

Raven: Reawakening is action-packed and fast-paced from start to finish with. There are tons of great, visualizable fight scenes. There is a high body count,y but no excessive gore. I loved the protagonist: a kicka** female ex-assassin named Raven with intelligence, a conscience, and a willingness to kill to protect herself. The plot was compelling and had me on the edge of me seat the whole book. There were some great surprise twists that I didn’t see coming but definitely made total sense. No cliffhanger ending. The primary plot of this book was resolved, but there were definitely new plot lines introduced that are going to be continued in later books of this new series. I’m going to go crazy waiting for the next book in the series to come out.

Raven is not only formidable, kind, and ruthless when necessary, but she also carries her pain and vulnerabilities with her in everything she does. And it doesn’t make her weak, it fuels her. When assassins come to kill Raven years after faking her own death to escape her old life as an assassin, she not only escapes, she sets out to find out who tried to have her killed and take the fight to them. To do so, she adopted her old assassin identity, Raven, once more. She survived her own government experimenting on her against her will with demon blood to make the perfect magical assassin. They changed or took almost everything: her body, appearance, name, and most of her memories. She escaped. She survived the losing of her baby daughter. She’s still standing. She’s still a fighter. She may be smart, competent, and have a conscience, but she’s also far from perfect. Sometimes, she is morally grey, gets fooled, and makes impulsive choices. She’s a fantastic strong female heroine!

This book is written in a minimalist style: the concise bare bones of the story. Normally, I’m not a fan of this style because it tends get in the way of different characters having distinct voices, leave you confused or lacking crucial details, and leave you unable go visualize the content well. Thankfully, none of this was the case here! In this book, the writing is concise, precise, and well-crafted enough that the minimalist style avoids all those pitfalls, keeps the story moving along at a fast pace, and creates a relaxing reading experience. All the information you need for visualization, characterization, and clarity is simply packed into concise sentences.

Warnings: mentions of loss of a baby, violence, descriptions of past non-consensual magical/medical experimentation on humans.

Great book. I received a free e-copy via NetGalley. I am writing this review voluntarily and honestly.

Usual disclaimer, I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair review.

I'm a fan of Mitchell Hogan's books in general. This one is the first in a new series, set within the world of other books. I guess this makes it standalone, but I think you would definitely get more out of it if you are already familiar with the world and protagonists.

A nice paced and well crafted story, that kept me interested and intrigued. The plot was a little Jason Bourne'esque with the supernatural twist.

I'm not sure if there's s bigger story arc coming, or more action and lost family focussed, but I'll definitely be reading more.

All in all, a good book, but better if you are already familiar with the world.

Thank you to @netgalley and author #MitchellHogan for the eARC of this book.

It was a great read for fantasy fans.

Chapter 1 reminded me of a video game, Saskia is running around the island trying to collect as many useful things as possible;
Rapier, shirt, crossbow, horse, medication and bolts for cross bow!

I enjoyed this book, I liked the world it is set in and I love our protagonist as she is a proper badass!

3 ⭐️

Thank you for the publisher and Netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting read that felt a lot longer than how it is in reality.

Let me start with all the positive. I really liked Raven as a character, her look and capabilities felt very unique and her way of thinking felt very much in tune with the character she was protraying. Cold, calculated, brutal...a true weapon forged by the government
I also quite enjoyed the World the writer built It felt like a mix between a dystopian steampunk world mixed with high fantasy elements.
I also enjoyed how action packed the storyline was and how it was not centered around a romantic relationship.

However I felt there were many things that made this read slower and harder to enjoy and take in. First of all I kind of feel that the writer could not decide if he wanted to write a high fantasy (epic) book or just a shorter novella, the structure of the worldbuilding is all high fantasy yet the execution and depiction is lacking. This ties in with my other issue which was jumping around in teh story, barely getting to know places and people. I kind of felt that there were way too many that we got to know in a passing.
Last of my problems were the detachment I felt. As I said Raven is very much the assassin and created soldier, but I felt that as the book progressed I didn't really get to know her as a "person", I felt zero emotion druing the book apart from the tension during the action packed parts.

All in all this book was a promising start to a new series, but I do feel that I need Raven's character to open up (not necessary soften up) a bit more to be able to root for her and stay invested in her story.

Rating:
3.5

Raven: Reawakening Kindle Edition

by Mitchell Hogan 

Thank you to Mitchell Hogan (the author), the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary reviewer's copy. I am choosing to leave a fair and honest review.
This book is virtually impossible to put down. Raven's story jumps off the starting line and just continues to pick up the pace until the pages virtually turn themselves.
Raven is living far from home, under a new name and a new life. Until, they come for her. A former assassin, created with demon's blood, she has tried to leave that life behind her. But no one will let her, no matter how hard she tries. She will make sure they pay for that.
The writing is well down, giving us multiple views and timelines. While Raven is the main focus, we do see the villain pop up with his point of view. Mr. Hogan does a brilliant job of laying breadcrumbs and red herrings, keeping the story moving. He also creates some of the best characters in a dark fantasy. The side-characters are as fascinating as Raven and I can not wait to read more about them. The cast is deliciously diverse, in skin color and in orientation and in species. Well-done, sir, well-done.
Mr. Hogan created a new magical system, one that has definite boundaries and he remembers that magic requires a cost or there is no limit to it.
Truly a wonderful new series that will be the next big series. Attention: Netflix, this needs to be made into a streaming series
5 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Reawakening-Mitchell-Hogan-ebook/dp/B09CDNS9YT

Really interesting, totally entertaining. Good story, strong characters, some nice originality and creativity to it also. I little gem of a book!

Take Black Widow and put it in a fantasy setting...

"Raven was once a member of the Grim Hand, a group of demonically altered assassins—until she staged her own death and began a new life free from brutality and murder.
But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and the past is reluctant to loosen its grip on those who hide from it.
When faceless assassins strike, Raven must return to a world of intrigue and violence, if only to save herself. "

Raven: Reawakening was an easy enjoyable read. I didn't fall in love with anything in the book, but I was entertained and interested throughout the story. Our main character Raven was interesting to read about and I was drawn in to learn more about her past and how she got to the point she was at.

I found that things happened too easy for her. It felt like there were no real obstacles that she had to overcome. Along with that while I knew Raven's motivations I was at a loss for many of the other character's reasons. I felt like this was an overall good story but nothing great.

What I found best about this story is the pacing picked up right away and was easy to get through. I read more than half of this book in one sitting and enjoyed myself. I wanted to learn more about this world and our main character.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s a pretty common trope; a reluctant assassin fakes their death to escape the master’s control who then makes an abortive attempt to remove loose ends once they figure out the ruse. Fortunately Hogan does it fairly well, going you fun, basic hero’s journey with a relatable anti-hero. In addition, there isn’t much development outside of the MC PoV, which makes the story fairly straight forward if if you actually like Raven … which I did. However, it was the world building that put this book on my favorites shelf. The magic system was something that was well developed and something I had not seen before, with the source of magic coming from dawn, dust and the abyss/demonic. World elements were introduced as needed and appropriate, always leaving a bit of mystery to keep you moving forward, but as the details are finally filled in, any sequels will need to focus more on the characters then what we see here in order to stay relevant and interesting (there is an obvious conflict between opposing groups developing, but not yet front and center) … but for the first of a series, it was a good balance with a few twists to keep the reader on their toes.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#RavenReawakening #NetGalley.