This book blew away any expectations I might've had before starting and is probably my favorite book in a while. The inciting incident is jaw-dropping (think a reverse Hunger Games inciting incident). The diversity in the cast of characters is handled well and it didn't feel like anyone was simply being a token minority. The narration style is unique and executed skillfully - I found myself laughing so many times.

The tournament aspect of the story was done in an innovative way and didn't drag down the story. The footnotes and scholarly works referenced in the book are hilarious and such an effective tool for world building.

The final twist was surprising and I can't wait to get back to this series to see more of Neema, Cain, and Benna (and Pink-Pink!)!

I really loved this book. The characters were a lot of fun, the mystery and constant twists kept the plot moving at breakneck speed so the book didn’t feel nearly as long as it was, and although the prose was a bit more utilitarian than I generally prefer, it worked well for the story and wasn’t distracting. The raven and its fragments were the best characters and I loved their narration. The ending was absolutely wild and I cannot wait for book 2.

What a magnificent start to a new series! Full of complex characters, trials, world building, and all the court intrigue.

The Raven Scholar is full of characters I want to learn more about. I really liked Neema. Her struggles between who she is and what she wants were fascinating to read and I was invested in her story. I also really loved Cain. He's the complete opposite of Neema and I absolutely loved the two of them together and separately. Their relationship and history with one another was one of the parts that really drew me into the story. Shal Worthy was also a character I wanted to know more about and am very much looking forward to seeing where his story might go. Ruko, ah Ruko. I absolutely hated him from the beginning, but I was weirdly finding myself rooting for him. Yana and Ruko just break my heart. The Raven Scholar is full of characters both major and minor that I loved.

The twists were definitely twisty in this book. I was caught by surprise by one of the twists and rather enjoyed how layered everything was. The chaos and messiness was great and had me engaged the whole time to all these complex characters.

The trials and court intrigue were great. I found myself rooting for different characters throughout and also wondering how Neema was going to find her way through everything. The world these character inhabit was captivating. The small glimpses into the different aspects was very interesting along with the different guardians and their hidden world.

I absolutely loved this book and am now invested in finding out what will happen with these very flawed and very human characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read this magnificent story.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Okay, this book was delightful. Maybe even magnificent. I typically bounce between 2-3 books at a time, but since I picked this book up (and read it in 3 days) I haven't even thought about my other reads. Boy is this story a page-turner.

Thoughts:

* There is a Leslie Knope-style sidekick to the main character's Ron Swanson. Benna is a national treasure and should be protected at all costs. Biggest complaint was finding myself begging for more screentime for Benna.

* This book is 80% single POV, but I absolutely loved the secondary POVs sprinkled in throughout the book. I wasn't expecting my favorite POV to be from (very minor spoiler) <spoiler>a flock of ravens, or more specifically: Every raven that ever was, is, or will be.</spoiler>

* Lots of parallels to Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang, which was one of my favorite books of 2023. It's not accurate to call this Dark Academia per se, but it certainly shared a lot of those vibes, including (minor spoiler) <spoiler>a 30-something scholar FMC and a power-structure that may not be what it seems.</spoiler>

* The lack of dialogue tags was perfectly executed and made the dialogue much easier to read without getting confusing. No "Blah blah blah" he said, "Blah blah" she replied adjectively., etc. You knew who was talking from context and character voice, which is IMO a great bloat reducer and really kept the pacing going. A 700 page book with lots of dialogue and no dialogue tags suddenly feels at the same time much longer and much more concise, if that makes sense. Little choices in the narrative style like this really put this book over the top for me.

* Despite being a pretty serious story, the narrator took the time to sprinkle in some contextual one-liner jokes that all hit the mark for me. This book was the right balance of serious epic fantasy + fun. Again, the narrative style felt fresh and really well done, which may come from the author's experience in other genres. Sometimes experienced authors dipping their toes into a new genre are able to bring something that feels unique to that new genre and those can end up being some of my favorite books. This one definitely fit that vibe for me.

* I never found myself on the verge of tears for any of the characters, however I did find myself constantly smiling. I could've used more background on many of the characters. But that's a pretty normal complaint for book 1 in any series. The author has to make some tough decisions between pacing and character depth for a large cast like this, especially when it comes to secondary characters. Considering this is a series, there is plenty of time to address character depth in the sequels. I really hope the author returns to some of those characters to further flesh them out instead of introducing a whole new cast. Series get so much more intimate the longer we stick with the same set of characters and watch them grow.

* Once again, Benna is a national treasure and should be protected at all costs.

First of all, thank you for the ARC!

I was interested in the book, but at first, I found it hard to get into it. Then it got easier.

At times it was interesting, but at other times I got bored; I felt stuck on it... I wanted to finish it faster.

The idea is interesting, with 8 separate mythical creatures, and most people have pledged allegiance to one of the 8 factions that follow them. That caught my attention!

There are competitions for the throne and a murder mystery to solve, which I love.

But despite the fact that the concept is right up my alley, the plot didn't really grab me, although I did chuckle a bit.

I liked the characters, but I didn't feel very attached to them; they are all different.

The romance subplot didn't appeal to me much either.

The backstories of the secondary characters revealed through their stories was a plus.

Overall, it's not really my thing, but I suggest giving it a try 🙌🏻

• investigation
• competition for the throne
• second chance
• magical creatures

🐦‍⬛🦊⚔️👑

To open a book by H.G. Parry is to be instantly transported elsewhere. Daily life fades away as the words on the page become your whole world, for a little while. While the setup for Parry’s books is often slower, the development is just as interesting as any high-adrenaline scene. This continues to be the case in The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door a distinctly unique historical fantasy.

WWI has left its mark on Clover and her family. Her brother, who was fighting in the war, became a survivor of an attack by…faeries? Yup. The historical and fantastical blend together in a myriad of ways. This is where the dark academia vibe comes into play, as Clover joins a magical academy, ostensibly to look for a way to cure her brother.

Glitz and glamour, new friends and new opportunities abound as both Clover and the reader are introduced to a new world at the same time. Author H.G. Parry did an outstanding job of describing things enough to fully build the world without going overboard into unnecessary details. It became a solid backdrop against which Clover’s relationships shone. I’m a sucker for characters with complex relationship dynamics that shift and eddy with time, so this was a win for me.

And the characters are where this book stood out. While the first part of the book could almost be considered mainly setup, the second half is where things change as they see the fallout from choices made while they were in the school. Themes of friendships, family, and the way time changes everything weaved their way skillfully throughout the narrative.

While this wasn’t my favorite H.G. Parry book (that distinction goes to The Magician’s Daughter), it was a close second. The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is almost heartbreakingly beautiful.

Thank you to Redhook and Oliver Wehner for providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is available now.

Before I get into this, I need you to know that I started reading The Raven Scholar at a completely normal person hour and then blinked and it was 2am. One of those reading experiences, you know? I was fully engaged from the jump and write to you now feeling completely obsessed. The world of The Raven Scholar is richly developed; its prose and dialogue absolutely sing, its characters are rich and real and charming as hell. In this world, everyone affiliates with one of the Guardians—Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound—each with its own domain and set of expected professions (and normally I’m not super down with the whole ‘have a single symbol for your whole personality’ kind of worldbuilding, like a fantasy Meyers-Briggs, but its voluntary and done as adults so it feels less limiting). With the emperor set to step down from his reign, a festival begins during which seven contenders will compete to be the next leader, one from each affiliation. But at the start, one is murdered, which results in the titular raven scholar Neem Kraa down a path to unravel the mystery and a generations-long political intrigue involving many betrayals and coverups. The fact is, friends, that I’m in love with this and I need you all to read it so we can talk about it. Okay? Okay. Also, there is a very good chameleon named Pink-Pink. ALSO ALSO THERE ARE FOOTNOTES.

Quite literally one of the best high fantasy novels I have ever read. Incredibly witty, clever, and unique, The Raven Scholar is one of the most fascinating novels I have read; a blend of mystery with its murder subplot and fantasy with its magical trials and political intrigue. The voice and tone basically jumps off the page. We follow a large cast of characters and yet I was not bored once throughout. Each character is so complex and morally grey, yet they're easy to root for as well. We have characters haunting the narrative, we have individuals murdering and doing their absolute worse to reach the throne, we have a morally grey character that we feel sympathy for despite all he has done. Neema Kraa is an excellent main character and reminiscent of some of our favourite characters from childhood. The unique magic system gives rise to funny animal companions and the tone with its switch of POVs and tense worked perfectly and seamlessly. The pacing was exactly what was required, keeping the reader glued to the pages. The author is incredibly tight with their prose and storytelling, and their background in mystery novels really shines through.

The humour is wonderful, so much so, I was laughing out loud at certain points. And yet, the author still manages to weave through dark and gritty topics, tapping into the emotions that you can really feel.

It was such an immense joy reading this novel, Antonia Hodgson has submitted themselves as the contender for the next fantasy voice to look out for.

It’s only January but I feel extremely confident this will be one of my favorite books of the year. I’m already telling everyone I can think of how good it is. I almost abandoned it early on when I realized (a)it’s 600 pages, and (b)there was going to be a tournament. I just haven’t liked many fantasy books with tournaments since The Hunger Games and they usually feel like a trite and over-used plot device that just doesn’t interest me. But I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this. For one thing, the tournament turned out to be way more unique and interesting than most, with very little fighting. There are so many characters but it wasn’t hard to keep them straight, probably because they were all so interesting and well-developed. The plot was super twisty and full of surprises, but none that seemed contrived or out of the blue. The world building was superb, most of the main characters were complex and nuanced, and the plot and characters all felt extremely original. But my one problem is that now I can’t wait for the sequel! 😫

Great pacing, I do not like books with tournaments or similar in them but ti=his was so good, I barely noticed. I expect this book to do very well on release. It is quick witted and clever in all the right places without removing the gravitas of the situations. And when you think you know what is happening, you are wrong. I will be recommending this book when it is released and getting myself a copy as well. 4.75 stars

Okay, wait. I LOVED this. This story is filled with political intrigue, drama, and adventure! This story is about 6 different competitors, some are warriors, some experts. and some are scholars. There were 7, but the remaining 6 need to figure out who killed the 7th competitor. This story is super immersive, has lore, games and trials, and it actually has humorous elements. It may not be for everyone though, because it is a hefty 600+ pages. Some folks might think that too long, but I would still give this book a shot. Its the first book in a series, but don't wait to check it out!

“The path to the throne is narrow, and must be walked alone.”

This was such a great fantasy read, I loved it. I loved the characters, I love that it felt like a breath of fresh air even with the trial trope. I loved the twists and mystery of it, the different factions/guilds. The last bit felt like it dragged at the end because I knew I wasn’t going to have anything a bit resolved but other than that, I’m absolutely thrilled a read this.

The world building and mythology is so well interwoven and even during the darkest times, there’s a wry/dry humor to it that I really appreciated. All the characters are complex and driven, even if you don’t like them. There are generational conflicts which become more relevant as the story goes on.


“We are magnificent.”

And so is Orbit and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Pretty much a perfect book!!? Loved it. didn’t even realize how long it was, it pulls you right in. The magic system is new and fun, there are trials - a classic, a small romance subplot, a bit of a mystery, and extremely compelling characters. Without spoiling I want to say how powerful I found the opening of the book. Absolutely perfect, I thought I was set up to read a book about one character only to be ripped away to new timeline until everything unwound and joined up. I don’t think a lot of the plot could have held up so strongly hinging on Yana’s character if we didn’t get that first look. Every character was well crafted and compelling. I also deeply enjoyed the ravens narration. Big recommend.

Thank you to Antonia Hodgson, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for this ARC!!
4.3 stars!!!
I loved this, and while it took me a bit to complete since I've been in a slump, I devoured this entirely.
This was such a breath of fresh air for fantasy and me! I've been reading more "romantasy's," and while they can be enjoyable, sometimes you need something like this book to take you away on an adventure completely
To begin, I loved Yana from the beginning ;-; when she died, a bit of my soul did too
I was excited to read her story, but I'm glad she was constantly referenced
Neema was such an interesting character since she had both likeable and unlikeable elements where you can't find a place for her
I related to her a bit with the love of libraries and books, and her character development was phenomenal
She wasn't evil, yet she did the things she had to do in order to succeed, which makes her complex, especially with decreeing the exile of Yana
Cain and Neema were so cute too
AND THE PLOT??? Hands down, it was so fantastic
I found myself a bit bored in some parts of the trial. I was hooked in the beginning, and finding out slowly who the emperor was incredible AND SHOCKED ME
It made me feel bad for Ruko, despite being someone you naturally wanted to hate, and then finding out that Andren killed her and not Bersun
It was just a fantastic plot, and all of the characters enraptured me and kept me reading
I also loved the usage of the Eight/guardians, and seeing how Sol and the Fox interact with Neema and Cain
I liked how the romance was there, but it wasn't the main focus, while giving us a fantastic storyline with engaging characters
Overall this was such an enjoyable read!! I loved this and I'm excited for book 2!!

I honestly had to take some time with this one because, while this was an absolutely wild read, there were also a few things I wasn't quite sure of.

But let's get into what I actually liked, first:

- the humor; this was probably the most surprising element of this book and one I was grateful for. It really helped the 700 pages feel less daunting, especially given the heavy political intrigue and other more serious aspects of the plot. For me, it was the right blend between that comedy without overshadowing those more serious moments.
- the unexpected; there were more than a few moments that had my jaw dropping, but nothing felt like it came out of nowhere. If I were to do a re-read, I'd definitely find hints that the author scattered around. Nothing felt like it was outside the realm of possibility the author had established in this world.
- the footnotes; I am a fervent footnotes apologist. I love them. The only critique I have is that I wish there were more of them. They honestly fade out towards the end, when I think they could have been utilized a bit more.

Now for the things I wasn't quite sure of or just didn't like:
- the romance; unfortunately, I don't quite think the romance hit for me. Mostly because while I appreciated Cain as a character (and his friendship with Keema), I never fully bought into their romance. It just didn't feel completely earned to me and it had entirely to do with some of Cain's decisions as a character.
- the magic; I don't know if this really was explained enough, early enough, for me to buy into just how much it played into the end of the book. Of course, it's equally possible that it was and I just didn't manage to retain that information throughout the course of the 700 page book. Especially because there was a LOT going on.
- the pacing; once the book hit about the 50% mark, the pacing really started to pick up in a way that felt less purposeful and more like the author realized the page count was reaching a high that they hadn't quite anticipated and they desperately needed to wrap things up and quickly.
- the representation; there's a lot of representation, but I'm unsure how good any of it is. Cain could fall into the trope of the bisexual/pansexual that sleeps around, but that could also be a side effect of something else. I'm truly unsure. That, and despite the varied queer representation, trans and nonbinary folk were not present--at least, none that I could see. Given that gay, lesbians, and bi folks were represented, having trans and nonbinary folk not there felt like a big oversight. I could also just be oversensitive.

Overall, this really wasn't quite a 4 star, but I'm interested enough in the trajectory of the plot that I'd be interested in continuing with the next book. And I did really like Keema as a character, even if almost no one else seemed to (in the book, that is lol).

Antonia Hodgson has a strong writing style and worked with the political element to this book. I was hooked from the first page and thought worked well overall in the genre. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and thought they worked well in this universe.

This book was incredible and just the thing I’ve been needing. The premise was original, and there was epic fantasy with court intrigue. I cannot WAIT to read the next book! I’m hooked!

This was such a fun read. I couldn’t put it down. I was instantly hooked from page one and fell in love with the characters almost immediately

2.5 stars

While not entirely lacking in charm and intrigue, I'm not sure this book deserved its page count.

I'm not going to pretend this is the worst prose I've ever read, but it did at times lack polish. This simply could be that I read this as an ARC, not a final published work. It is clear that Hodgson crafted this world with care and detail and then wanted to play in the sandbox, so to speak. It made the pacing odd. I also found that it took away from the characters. Some, like Ruko or Benna, I thought were fascinating, but readers only got to know them on a surface level. Unfortunately, I found Neema to be the least interesting of the cast. There is also a narrative device in here that I found more distracting to the story than compelling.

Plot wise certain points in the story were more gripping than others. There was a lot going on in this installment. I did find the ending veered a little more 'Sunday morning cartoon villian' than I personally would have liked. However, the author put enough clues that it also didn't appear out of nowhere.

Overall, not a bad book, but I'm unsure if I'll continue on with the series.

Wow what a fantastic read! It was enthralling just how well thought out this world and its history was. I truly felt immersed from the very first page. The inner monologue was seamlessly mixed with actual action as well as relevant history. Tensions between characters was intense in a very realistic and threatening way. Not only were the character interactions intense, but the plot was as well. So many twists and turns and I truly could not predict the things that happened in this story even though I tried! I’m very excited for this release and its sequels!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing an early review copy.