This paranormal middle grade story was wonderful!! Fun, gripping, with great world building and a lot of heart!!
I must say I'm surprised because I don't see a lot of dual point of views middle grades and the characters are on the older side, but I really enjoyed this! It had quite a lot of world building but it was so creative and fun! The chapters are short and alternate between Anna and Colin and they are both great leads with some great chemistry. (It also gave me Supernatural vibes which made it all even better because that's a show I hold dear to my heart.)
There's really nothing bad I can say about the story. The writing was great, the story super hooky with short chapters that make you turn the pages, there's mystery, there's magic, there's battles, there's friendship, family, and pets that make fun of their owners hahah Truly a magical book that transports you to Ravenfall and makes you want to pay a visit to that world! Left me with a smile on my face and i'm looking forward to the sequel!

Finished this book! 😭 Whimsical and so heartfelt! From the Celtic mythology, to the magic and the world-building, to the characters, and the overall atmosphere–this book aced them all.

Maybe some of the plot were a bit predictable at first? But the last battle near the end still had a few surprises and I love it!

Also I appreciate how this book had several moral lessons for the reader. 🥹

This magical MG novel is out August 30th!

Full review on my blog soon!

Welcome to the Ravenfall Inn…
Run by a family of Psychics, a blood-thirsty cat, and a house that is fully alive- We hope you enjoy your stay!

As told in two POVs- Anna is a psychic that can see death when she touches people, new to her power has it feeling more like a curse than a gift. When she stumbles into someone at a party, her senses start to tingle. Colin, running from his past and searching for his brother at the Ravenfall Inn, encounters Anna. When Anna and Colin meet, they team up to solve a mystery, but as Halloween inches closer, their time is running out and the answers they seek might not be found on this side of the veil.

This magical world is vast, endearing, and will enchant you if you only “embrace the weird”! It’s INCREDIBLE- It's whimsical, charming, and so heartfelt! I really haven’t read a middle-grade book like this in so long. The characters are quirky and fun, especially Max (the cat) and they feel so welcoming to the reader.

As the spooky season is starting to come around the corner, this was a wonderful and refreshing read to get me in the mood for fall! It really does feel like its own mature version of Halloweentown and that makes this series even more lovable. I can really see so many adults loving this if they give it a chance! I’m thrilled to have read this and can’t wait to buy a physical copy!

Thank you Random House Children's, Delacorte Press and Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
*Will be posting this review to my Instagram later this month

If Encanto embodies the color and brightness of spring and summer, then Ravenfall is the autumn-winter, Celtic-based cousin. A family full of special abilities, a magical sentient house, family drama, mythology and mystery--this book has it all!

The best part of this book other than the characters is definitely the aesthetic. This book breathes the autumn, Halloween vibe and has such cozy magic alongside the dark danger of monsters and myths. There are so many little details woven into the world and setting that just make this book thrive.

I adore Annabella and her boisterous family of psychics. Each ability is so unique and fun and is important to the plotline in some manner. I love Max the Jabberwocky cat and the enchanted house that seems to move and breathe and think all on its own. This book is just so fun.

Colin is also a great protagonist and I love that Kalyn doesn’t shy away from darker themes in her middle grade story. The monsters and magic are so cool and I love how they’re based on Celtic mythology. It’s fantastic how everything plays out and comes together for that ending.

I’m excited to see what Kalyn does next with these characters and world because it definitely could use a sequel.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

A spooky, paranormal murder mystery. I enjoyed getting to know Annabella and her family, and was fascinated by all their different powers. I love books with a strong sense of setting and I thought Ravenfall Inn was quite clever and well written.

Note: I would definitely say this one is more for upper MG readers.

Ravenfall is an Inn located on a weakness in the shield; a veil to the Otherworld. It is owned and run by a family of psychics (of various types) who provide services and entertainment as well as lodging.

Far away, a boy (Colin) and his older brother (Liam) burst into their shabby hotel room just as two men kill their parents. Liam attacks and injures one, and chases the men; effectively disappearing. Colin follows the instructions he had always been given; "If anything happens to us, go to Ravenfall."

Anna, the youngest (and most recent to gain her powers) of the innkeeper Ballinkays, has the ability to touch someone who has seen death, and view the death as well. She feels that her ability is useless. As the youngest in an obviously talented family, she is frustrated and lonely.

When Colin arrives at Ravenfall, Anna is fascinated by more than his bright gray eyes; he is more than afraid--he is mysterious. Colin is only aware that he's grieving, exhausted, afraid, and hoping for safety and companionship until his brother comes. Really counting on his brother coming to get him.

As Samhain (Halloween) nears, Colin and the family are under threat, and both spirits and the living are being killed for the chilling plans of the Lord of Death.

The two youth will need to refine their skills and work together. Even with family and friends as support, is it enough to be successful in a battle they shouldn't logically survive?

This is a story both cheerfully playful and eerily nightmarish. Finding the courage to talk--to each other--about wants and needs provides surprising strength. Where will they find the final reserves they need?

Despite the deaths and dark images, this was a book about finding hope and a new home in the midst of danger and chaos. The two kids, from very different life experiences, build a good friendship and rise to the occasion. Showing themselves--and the adults--what they are capable of.

4.3/5 Stars

Thanks to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for the preview of this ebook; the review is voluntary.

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Anna is a young girl with supernatural powers living amongst her extended family in a large inn, Ravenfall. She’s the youngest and has just come into her powers. She feels left out of most of the going ons except the chores. Colin a 14-year-old boy shows up. His parents are dead, his older brother is missing and he needs help. He’s been sent to Ravenfall to find this help. Anna and Colin team up to discover who killed his parents. Thus begins a wild ride into dark mischief.

I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. The characters themselves were whimsical and well-developed. The descriptions of the otherworld characters were well-down. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Ravenfall is not your average Inn; it’s run by a family of psychics, a pet jabberwocky roams the halls, and the house itself is alive. But, only those open to magic will truly experience it. Anna, one of the psychics who runs Ravenfall Inn, and Colin, who has just arrived after witnessing the murder of his parents, will experience together the magic of Ravenfall, the world, and one another as they form a remarkable friendship in this novel by Kalyn Josephson.

Anna has Psychometry, the power to witness death, and it leaves her feeling pretty useless around the Inn. All of her family members have powers that can be used to provide for the inn and entertain the tourists, but Anna ability is merely a burden and she is constantly stuck doing all the chores. When, one evening, she is touched by a mysterious person and sees the murder of two people and a following confrontation with two teenage boys, she is particularly disturbed and feeling down about her future at Ravenfall Inn. But, then one of the boys from her vision arrives covered in blood and in need of help. Maybe Anna will be able to prove that she is useful after all, by helping Colin find the men who killed his parents.

Colin has just lost his parents, witnessed their strange murder, but for some reason can’t remember the face of the man who killed them. His older brother Liam has taken off to track the man, and sent Colin on his own to Ravenfall, where his family always said they should go if they were separated. Once there, Colin is quickly shoved into the world of magic, and begins to learn about his family and his history that change everything. Anna and her family help Colin as he tracks down the men who are responsible for his parent’s death, train him in magical combat, and give him a place that may finally feel like home.

The world of Ravenfall is fascinating and so fun to be immersed in. Josephson has managed to create a unique and exciting magical world without bogging the story down with details and descriptions. I was enthralled by the Ravenfall Inn, and loved the fact that the house was a character in itself with it’s own delightful personality. The town of Wick (where Ravenfall is located) which has drawn many a magical creature, was so charming that I wish it actually existed so I could plan a visit for my next vacation.

The true strength of the novel however, is the complex characters, particularly Anna and Colin, and amazing bonds both familial and friendships. Anna and Colin are both so happy to have each other, a respite from the constant loneliness both have felt, but they both also find themselves envying the other. It was quite nice to read about this friendship between two people who have so much in common, especially emotionally, but don’t actually realize that about each other. The two are fast friends, but the way their friendship grows and develops throughout the story is exceptionally well written. Relationships between other characters are also a nice treat, but I particularly enjoyed the relationship dynamics each character had with the house. And I can’t leave out Max, the pet Jabberwocky who takes the form of a black cat, who stole my (black cat owner) heart.

Ravenfall has it all; it’s a fantasy, it’s got the perfect amount of scare for middle grade horror, it’s a coming of age story, and most importantly it’s a friendship story. This novel will find itself loved my many types of readers. With it’s wide ranging appeal, and spectacular writing, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Opening Line: "Everything looks different in the dark."

Anna Ballinkay's family runs Ravenfall Inn, a supernatural bed and breakfast that sits between the human and Otherworld, where spirits dwell. Her family comes from a long line of psychic's, each with varied talents. One of her twin sisters can read minds and the other people's emotions, Anna's mom is a fortune teller, and her Aunt Elaine talks to spirits. But Anna has never been happy with her ability, she feels it's useless, more of a curse and she's actually scarred to use her powers. Following a chance encounter where Anna brushes into a man at her families Inn, she has a vision of two people's horrible murder and the two boys who witness the murder. Anna becomes so unnerved by what she sees, she can't let it go, it weighs on her heavily and she must find out the killer's identity. Then Colin Pierce arrives at Ravenfall Inn looking for his older brother Liam, they became separated and had agreed to meet at the inn. Colin and his family were in a witness protection program and Colin's parents were the ones from Anna's vision. Colin was hoping to get some information about why someone would've wanted his parents killed. Anna wants to be able to prove to herself that her powers can have a purpose or can be more useful than just visions of death, and so she sets out to help Colin to find some answers. But first Colin must believe that magic is real and be willing to trust Anna.

Ravenfall has a very unique magical system, and I quite enjoyed all the varied abilities Anna's family had. The story felt like a mix of Natalie Lloyd's Snicker of Magic (coziness of the tea shop, and its magical tea concoctions reminiscent of the ice cream from Snicker of Magic), with Jessica Towsend's Nevermore or even Jessica Day George's Tuesdays at the Castle (with its alive Inn versus the Castle) and then add in the television show Supernatural (for all the wraiths and creatures). I was totally feeling Halloween vibes with this read. Then bump it up a notch with the whole murder mystery and hunt to find a killer, yeah defiantly loved the spooky magical adventure of Ravenfall. The killer was just the right amount of creepy and sinister. I so loved the sentient inn, which almost is a character in itself. My favorite character though had to be Max the part Jabberwocky/black cat who guards the Inn. Such a fluff of fun. Sigh, if only there were pictures to accompany the story. The inclusion of varies Irish traditions was very enjoyable and I defiantly learned a lot about Samhain. The alternating chapters between Anna and Colin were fun, offering that opportunity to learn more about each of the two main characters and how their stories intertwined. Anna explaining the families magic, her feelings of insecurity and pressure to find her place, while Colin was able to express his sorrow and pain to her. Anna also has her humorous moments and gets Colin to "embrace" the weirdness of her family. Some lovely bonding going on here, can't wait to see where their friendship leads. This would make a wonderful Halloween read. There are plans for a sequel, Hollowthorn, that I'll now be eagerly anticipating.

**A huge thank you to Delacorte Press and Kalyn Josephson for my E-ARC**

At thirteen years old Anna has never been normal. None of her family has. Her home isn't. Frankly, her town isn't even normal. Her home is at the Ravenfall Inn, right on the border of the human world and the Otherworld. Her family's psychic abilities are used to keep the inn running, but Anna feels left out, that she can't help because her ability is to see death. How can that help anybody?

Colin, at fourteen, has been on the run with his family for months. Now, alone, he has made his way to Ravenfall Inn, the one place his family told him to go if they ever got separated. He hopes to find his brother there after Liam took off after the men they found murdering their parents. The men they were trying to run from.

The two team up when they realize Anna has bumped into one of the men responsible for killing his parents, because she saw the exact moment Colin and Liam discovered the murderers. As the two discover Colin's heritage and how their lives are more entwined than they first thought, they are in a race against the clock to save the veil between the two worlds. They only have until midnight on Halloween to stop the destruction of the veil and their world.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a great Fall or Halloween read full of psychics, witches, and mystical creatures and artifacts. There's some great humor to counteract the darker scenes and a cast of fun characters. The imagery is fantastic and the whole world is captivating. I can't wait to see what Hollowthorn (Book 2) will bring us.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel. I am rating this book based the stars due to lack of time to leave a full review.

Anna's mother (Nora) and father run the Ravenfall hotel, which caters to people with supernatural powers. Their big event every year is Samhain, which is quickly approaching, making for lots of work. Anna is a bit sad that her own powers are limited to seeing other people's experiences with a death if she touches them. It's not really very helpful, unlike her twin sisters Kara and Rose, who have special insights into reading people. At a party one night, someone brushes against her, and she immediately has a picture of a man and woman who have been killed, but she can't find the person. Later, when Colin shows up at the hotel, as instructed by his brother Liam in the even that the two of them were separated, she sees the same vision. Colin and Liam's parents were killed, and Liam has gone missing. Colin has his car, and it turns out that Nora was friends with Colin's parents. He's welcome to stay, they say, but his recent trauma isn't helped by learning that his parents were part of the same magical community, but left suddenly when he and Liam were very young. It definitely doesn't help when he is attacked by Kaden, a man who has been following him. It's even worse when it turns out that Kaden is a wraith. Colin needs to learn about his own magical powers quickly, and learn to use the ancient knives that have been handed down by his family. Anna is helpful in getting Colin up to speed with most of the magical world (the cat is really a Jabberwock, the house is alive, her family is filled with psychics), but struggles to keep him safe and help him fight. Kaden has assembled other wraith friends to hunt Colin down, Liam's whereabouts are still unknown, and Samhain is quickly approaching. Will Anna be able to keep Colin and Ravenfall safe? Thanks to Mr. Buxton, I know that the sequel, Hollowthorn, is due out in 2023.
Strengths: Like Plum's Die for Me, Harrington's Clarity, or Baguchinski's Spookygirl, Ravenfall invites us into a fairly dark and exciting world of magic and throws in a double murder to keep things moving along. I love that we see Anna's world with all of it's intricacies and eccentricities, but that it isn't over explained. It's a magical house. They have a variety of guests with different powers. Colin showing up out of the blue is not all that surprising, and when he's attacked (which reminded me of Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon!), no one is really surprised. There's some interesting Irish traditions and magic, and a lot of supportive family. There's even a great scene where Anna and Colin have a moment to take a breather and sit in a cozy room drinking wish cider that made my heart happy! There was a lot of action and scary stuff, so seeing them in a less frantic moment was especially nice.
Weaknesses: The cover looks too young; this is much more like Perez's 2008 Dead is the New Black and other Young Adult books from fifteen years ago that were deliciously paranormal and bridged the gap between middle school and high school readers. After all, we do have Colin's parents brutally murdered, which I was not expecting with this cover. This is just going to make it a bit more difficult to get this book into the right hands.
What I really think: My students will love this book, and I hope it will rekindle an interest in some of the other paranormal murder mysteries that I have. I've sort of forgotten about some of them, but I've had a lot of Twilight fans (whose mother's read the books when they were younger) who will probably enjoy those books as well as Ravenfall and its sequel!

Colin Pierce has spent the last few years bouncing from place to place with his family, believing they’re in the witness protection program. But everything changes when he arrives at the most recent hotel to find his parents have been killed. Alone, Colin has no choice but to head to Ravenfall, the place he and his older brother agreed to meet if something happened. There, he meets Anna, a psychic who agrees to help him uncover the identity of the man who killed his parents and is now hunting him.

There was so much to love about this book, and I never really wanted to put it down. Colin and Anna are so well developed, and I loved how the author handled the theme of death and grief throughout the book. I fell in love with the characters and world; RAVENFALL made me want to curl up with a cup of coffee and watch autumn leaves fall. It’s a beautiful, fun, poignant story, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

Ravenfall is one of the best books in this genre for its age group. It's not so scary that children will be having nightmares, but the stakes are high enough to be interesting to readers. The events and characters of this book are memorable - I had to put this book aside for a few weeks and still remembered exactly what was going on when I started it again. Anna and Colin are great characters and their friendship was great to see as it developed. Although I'm sure it will head in this direction in future books, it was also nice to see characters who were just friends and their care for one another wasn't romantic. Sometimes it is good for kids to see that you don't have to fall in love in middle school. I was not a great fan of Anna's family sometimes, they were not supportive of her gift and really showed no interest in developing it. Even her aunt and uncle never took her under their wing to teach her anything. At least the house liked her more than everyone else. The resolution with Fin felt like it happened too easily - the fight with Kaden was much more exciting. The pacing on this book is perfect and will keep readers engaged from start to finish. The little reference to Supernatural will be nice for parents who grew up watching that show. I highly recommend this book for classroom and school libraries. It will make for a great Halloween time tale!

This book is magical. Its late-August release date is excellent timing, because this needs to be on everyone's autumn TBRs. It's the perfect combination of spooky and cozy, and is best enjoyed under a fuzzy blanket with some apple cider while there's a thunderstorm outside. From Anna's family to the Ravenfall Inn, everything about this book draws the reader into a world just a bit stranger than our own. And I'm so excited that it's going to be a series! There's definitely plenty more to explore in this world - personally, I'm hoping for more about Anna's dad. (And more Max, obviously.)

CW: parent deaths (murder), missing person, injuries, animal death

Ravenfall was a magical yet empowering story about two kids finding themselves and going on quite the supernatural adventure. I fell in love with Ravenfall Inn right away. The author has such an imagination and as a Halloween lover I absolutely adored the detail she put into describing the inn, it's spooky vibes and it's supernatural creatures and happenings! I thought the story following Anna and Colin was very well done and certainly kept me curious for more! Max the black cat was my absolute favorite character and he often made me laugh! The Celtic mythology blending in with the sleepy town and Halloween vibes was such an awesome combination! This book was adventurous, unique, heartfelt and empowering. It teaches you to appreciate the little weird things in life but also to face challenges with your head held high. Although this is a middle grade book, I think everyone will enjoy this book! Halloween lovers are going to fall in love with Ravenfall Inn and the world surrounding it!

What a fun, lighthearted book with a bit of darkness swirled in. I really loved the characters – the house and the cat/not cat were my favorites. There was a lot of whimsy, which I loved, but it also tackled some darker topics – such as the death of one's parents and feeling like an outcast. But overall, the tone was upbeat, with some tearjerker moments towards the end.

Interesting references to Irish folklore and Samhain. Great “found family” elements.

Super powerful kids + Celtic creature world destroyer + Halloween = A not so happy holiday

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson was a thrill filled fantasy mystery and was excellent. Anna, a 12 year old psychic who sees spirits, and Colin, an unknowingly powerful 14yr old boy who’s trying to find out who killed his parents team up to find answers. As a mystery thriller fantasy, there’s a mix of magical mystery with a killer on the loose. While figuring out who did it, Colin discovers more about himself and his family and Anna comes into her power more. Mostly her feeling like she has a purpose within her super magical family (think Mirabel making her place). Additionally, there’s a Celtic creature on the loose trying to destroy the world. This deep yet fun story leads us through a whirlwind of clues, getting us closer to the answer.

The imagery within this story was so vivid. It put you right there as if you were right there in the story. What Anna and Colin experience, as do you! Another great live to this story was the use of multiple POV, Colin and Anna’s to be exact. The flipping between the two was seamless and added to the story as a whole. It’s a great way to get kids started in Multi-POV type novels.

On a more structural note, I liked that there were explanations of the world sprinkled throughout the story as well as a well thought out plot with amazing characters! There was nothing that I felt would make it better aside from giving us more!

This is such a great story! Although it’s for middle grade, teens and adults will love this too! It should totally be turned into a film or show! Until then, it’d be great for kids 11+. There’s short and concise chapters plus understandable themes for this group.

This is an excellent start to a series! I’ll be impatiently waiting for Hollowthorn.

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of Ravenfall from Kayln Josephson via NetGalley

RAVENFALL, is a perfectly spooky, magical MG read packed with mystery and action—one that I didn’t want to put down. Anna and Colin, each with their own individual quests, were this dynamic duo and I enjoyed seeing their friendship unfold as they teamed up to uncover a host of secrets. But can we please talk about Ravenfall Inn itself??!! The magical B&B was a character all its own and I just thought it was so imaginative! I also enjoyed the rich Celtic lore, magic system, and supernatural creatures. I love how the author spun such a creative story with story themes that explored friendship, family, and belonging. I highly recommend this and I’m eagerly awaiting the second installment!!

This is the perfect Fall read. I couldn't put it down and poured through the pages. At the end, I kept tapping on my Kindle screen, hoping more words would appear. Alas, I'll just have to wait for the next one, I suppose!

Kalyn Josephson has done a beautiful job creating an immersive world that I was 1. very creeped out by and 2. loved intensely. I felt myself getting lost in the pages and wishing that I could really visit this delightful hotel--but perhaps avoid some of its more gristly guests. Sometimes in a dual-point of view novel, I find myself preferring one character more than the other, but this was not the case with Anna and Colin. A struggling psychic and a boy with a mysterious past are the perfect friendship pairing and I would follow them anywhere. Okay, maybe even on a really creepy adventure.

In short, I love this book. I am so excited for readers to discover it! I am a big fan of Kalyn Josephson's writing after reading her YA duology, The Storm Crow and The Crow Rider. Like her characters, I can't wait to follow her into whatever world she creates next!