if i could give this book 7 stars i would. 10 stars even! very much could be a book of the year for me. i was absolutely blown away by this book. i cannot wait for the second!!

will be hard to describe & review the book without spoilers but i shall try:
- the narration of the book was insanely good. there was constant swapping between voice & writing styles, which should not have worked the way it did, but antonia pulled it off so so well

- the quality of her writing also shines through with the multiple different threads & storylines interwoven with each other, but nothing felt confusing and she tied everything together with plot twists & reveals that had me on the edge of my seat. i did NOT see them coming!

- the depth of ALL the characters was fantastic. nobody was flat, or two dimensional, they all felt fleshed out and had their own motives to their actions which we were all guessing at.

- the combination of the murder mystery & trials/games was seamlessly woven together imo, as well as setting up character ARCs etc for the next book

this was everything i didn’t know i needed & wanted in a fantasy book

What a book! While the world building may seem intimidating to many non-fantasy readers, the moment you hit 5-10% is the moment you become hooked. Then, what I found to be the main crux of the story was really only the beginning - one of the best ways I've seen it done so far! In the Summary above, you meet Nemma - a Raven contingent High Scholar in their eighth year of serving Bersun the Brusque. She is stern and sharp and far more hardened by the world and the people in it than fair. Of course, that means no one likes her either. Naturally, suspicions come from that. Especially when someone is murdered (and even her own memories of that night come back foggy). So begins her task: find the murderer - and clear her own mind while she's at it.

From this, a LOT happens. Accusations are thrown, people are interviewed and, most of all, Cain arrives. By adding him and others, everything is thrown off kilter. And it is masterfully done!

The interactions in the work, as well as the plot development and the revelations that follow, all wonderfully combine to that wondrous end. It is not happy, but, then again, when is it ever???

The Raven Scholar comes out April 29th (Aus time). I can't wait for you all to read it 💜💜

Trials? Check. Clever FMC? Check. Interesting political system? Check. Magical mystery? Check!

Every 24 years a new emperor is chosen through a series of trials undertaken by contestants representing each of the gods’ factions.

The first thing that stood out to me about this book was the age of the trial contestants. The FMC is in her 30s and the other contestants’ ages range from late twenties to forties. I found this realistic and refreshing! My only criticism is that I didn’t always feel like I was reading about older characters, some of them acted like they were in their early twenties. I’m also a sucker for a smart, studious and interesting main character. I liked that she clearly had a past and had made some morally grey decisions leading her to her current situation. I do wish that she had continued to reveal more depth though, I felt connected to Neema more in the first half of the book than the second.

Each faction had its own unique characteristics that were interesting and well-fleshed out. I enjoyed getting to know more about how the various characters thought and their histories. There were a lot of characters to keep track of which sometimes got confusing.

There were some jaw-dropping surprises! I was really impressed with how the story was woven together. I enjoyed the fantasy-mystery blend, it added a new twist to the trials trope.

I did find the narration from the ravens a bit jarring, but I’m not sure if this was also because my e-ARC was formatted weirdly when transferred to my e-reader. I suspect that the final formatting in the book will make it easier to see when the narrator POV changes. I enjoyed the addition of footnotes, that was a fun touch. This book has some romance, but it’s a very small subplot (I appreciated this).

There were some parts that felt a little slow/long for me, so that’s why (paired with the jarring raven POVs) I would give it 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves political fantasy, high stakes trials, mystery and an undercurrent of romance.

Thank you to Hachette for sending me an e-ARC. All views are my own.

I am currently reading this and supremely enjoying it. I however don't enjoy the raven voice-overs and feel this disconnects the story. Will update upon completion

This book was incredible and I’m not sure how to write a review to do it justice but I will try…
Neema Kraa is the High Scholar to the Emperor and a member of the Ravens, one of eight factions that divides the nation based on their strengths and callings. She embodies the Ravens, with her intelligence, attention to detail and desire to follow the rules. Neema is strong and resilient but vastly unprepared for the competition she finds herself in, competing against warriors from each of the other factions. The other competitors are rich, developed characters, some Neema knows, others are new to her. I loved watching Neema develop throughout the story, and form relationships with those around her, despite her feelings of loneliness and being unlikeable. I love Neema, she is a brilliant character and she felt so authentic. Also a special mention for Sol, who nested in my heart along with Neema’s, he can be a part of my flock any day!

The storyline is so well thought out, all these neat little twists and turns that I never saw coming. What started as a story to replace the Emperor at the end of his reign became a web of deception, years long plots, magic and lies. The political intrigue was off the charts!

This book was very well written, I enjoyed the different viewpoints provided by the 3rd person POV. I especially loved the extent of the world building with the little stories added in to explain the mythology of the Eight.

This was a long book and I devoured it, I couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop reading, and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I’m so incredibly impressed with this book and I know I’ll be thinking about it until the next one comes out!

Be wary of the one who walks behind you, And ruthless to the one who walks ahead

The Raven Scholar is a high fantasy, featuring trials and a murder mystery paired with a very unique style of writing that sometimes felt a bit overdone.

There was times that phrases and dialogue sounded very modern, and then very quickly would change to a very outdated style. There was jumps in time so this potentially is the reason for this.

The first 25% is very heavy world building and it’s not a book that you can breeze through, it requires full attention and a slow pace of reading. I do feel it could have been roughly 200 pages shorter.

I did find this story confusing at times, it would have me invested, however would quickly turn around and my interest would decline. This was a constant reoccurrence for me. I’m not sure how this series will stretch out into a trilogy.

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 The Raven Scholar
✒️ Antonia Hodgson
🗓 15th April 2025
💫💫💫💫

Thank you @netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book a little bit to get into but once I was there, I was all in.

The Raven Scholar is an epic fantasy that draws in the reader and absolutely obliterates them. Firstly, the narration should not have worked but it did, the changing from third to first person would typically confuse someone but Antonia did it so damn well that not once did I have to pause my reading.

Every single character is smart and driven, there is not 'let down' character that made you question why they were written into the book. They all had a part to play and they did their parts well. The hidden agendas had me guessing constantly and when I was right I yelped and when I was wrong I also yelped.

I cannot wait for book two! This world is immersive and I cannot wait to return!

My only gripe, and it might have been just the ereader version but I wanted a glossary of the mythologies and overview of the political structure so I could refer back to it. But as I said, might have been because I was reading it on an ereader.

The first few pages (Yana’s story) captivated and held my interest. It was shaping to be an intriguing murder mystery fantasy book.

The flash forward was interesting as well when we’re introduced to the FMC - Neema. I enjoyed the thought of the unique magical system and the trials for the new emperor, however, that’s when things started getting by messy for me.

I don’t know if it’s just my ARC format but the style is so messy. I just later on realised that we were in the perspective of the Raven (or first guardians as I later on thought about it).

I also hoped for an overview of the strengths and magic of each of the 8 guardians which I had to infer myself from the story.

There were a lot of storylines which I did not see the point to. I thought they were just noise.

And speaking of noise, there were so many characters whom I had no idea where they came from and what they did. There were also exiting characters (what happened to Havoc?!) that I had no idea why he left in the first place. Again, I blame the ARC formatting.

And a heads up to readers thinking this is a romantasy, it’s not. It’s 80% fantasy, 20% romance and of that 20% I didn’t think the MMC was being romantic at all (more of arsehole, insulting our FMC).

I honestly lost the plot at mark 77% and have resolved to soft DNF this one.

5/5 ✨ This was such a fun time!! An epic fantasy where everything - the world, the gods, the magic system, the trials - was inventive and new. I was swept up from start to finish because I just couldn’t guess the plot.

AND the FMC is a 34 year old BPOC whose actions throughout the whole book actually made sense! I became so attached to headstrong, clever, cynical Neema, who knew her own flaws and loved herself for them. It was SO refreshing to read about a rational FMC who didn’t make silly mistakes for the sake of the plot.

The dialogue in this book was everything - so many hidden meanings that I couldn’t guess, and best of all chaotic banter and one liners that had me cackling. The side characters were fleshed out and I became so invested in every single one of them. I loved reading about the omnipresent guardians who were the absolute opposite of benevolent.

As a romantasy girly, I wasn’t sure if this would be for me but the world building was so easy because Antonia Hodgson’s seamless storytelling between past and present had me in a chokehold. I also want to note that while the romance was only a subplot, it still broke my heart (in a good way). I honestly can’t wait to see what happens next.

——

Tropes:
- Murder mystery
- Amateur sleuth
- Politics and secrets
- Underdog / outsider MC
- Reluctant hero
- Found family
- Second chance
- Closed door spice

Firstly, I loved this book! to the point I had trouble putting it down and finished in 3 days!

In 'The Raven Scholar' by Antonia Hodgson, readers are introduced to a richly imagined world where the characters embody one of six animal "personas".
Neema, the main character, stands out as a reluctant heroine with a penchant for order and organization—think excel spreadsheets and daily planners. Hodgson deftly navigates the complexities of this fantastical realm, showcasing a diverse cast and whilst the character development is intriguing, there are moments when certain characters could benefit from more depth, leaving myself eager for further exploration in the next installment.

Overall, 'The Raven Scholar' is a delightful entry into a captivating universe that promises further adventures. Hodgson's skillful storytelling and engaging prose make it easy to overlook these minor flaws. The anticipation for the next book in the series is palpable, as readers will undoubtedly want to delve deeper into the lives of these fascinating characters and the world they inhabit.

-Slow Burn
- Competition for the Throne
- Second Chance
- Magical Animals

As an avid fantasy reader, I was extremely excited to read this one. The premise had me curious, but the execution left me wanting.

The writing is so-so, easy to read but the pacing is slow with weirdly placed descriptions - I found instead of describing something relevant to building the world, words were wasted describing something completely random.

I did enjoy the world building (the story telling felt extremely slow though) and the factions, and I love how each group functioned. I am a sucker for magical elements and I loved this system, not everyone has access to magic and it takes time and sacrifice.

I found the character connection a little weak, there was no tension or build up and I felt it was very beginner tropey - everything was just extremely obvious. I wouldve liked to have seen further development.

Oooooh this was a ride! MAGNIFICENT (surely there's no other way to describe this book? IYKYK)
I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment in a new epic fantasy and can't wait to see where the story goes next. The world that Antonia Hodgson has crafted is rich, detailed and full of it's own history. The characters were fully formed, with their own motivations and complications and traits and i loved it all. This was twisty and turny and I did have to pick my jaw up off the floor more than a couple of times.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hachette for the eARC and opportunity to read this one early!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for a copy of this e-arc.

What a great read.

I always, always, always love a murder mystery in my fantasy novels. <spoiler>Not only did we have our main murder mystery but we also had other mysteries on top of that, like who is the emperor really? Yana also continued to haunt the entire book despite departing really early on! She had such a presence in the book which I really liked.</spoiler>

I did struggle in perhaps the first 25% as almost everyone seemed pretty unlikable up until that point, but it certainly turned around! I found myself softening to (almost) all of the characters, especially the contenders.

The worldbuilding and histories are quite fleshed out and in-depth with a scattering of footnotes throughout. There's clearly been a lot of effort there.

I didn't feel the length of this book at all and it was a nice pace and progression for me.

I can't wait to see where this series goes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia and New Zealand for the eARC.

The Raven Scholar was not what I expected, in the best way possible.

This first book in the trilogy is a magnificent epic fantasy with twists and turns that will keep you reading to all hours of the night. It is slow to start, as many epic fantasies are, with rich world building and introduction of all the important player. We follow Neema who is as delightful as she is imperfect - a High Scholar forced to turn Contender and Investigator when one of the contenders to the crown is killed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one.

So, so grateful to Hachette Australia and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson is an addictive mix of murder mystery, fantasy court gossip and humor, all set in a delicious fantasy world, which I devoured.

Neema, my favourite sharp-tongued investigator, gets pulled into a deadly contest to decide the next emperor—cue betrayals, secrets, and plenty of twists to keep you guessing- I mean, I DEVOURED this book, and I want to read it again already.

The world-building is just so top-tier, the characters are layered, and the whole thing is just so fun to read. If you love a bit of political scheming with your fantasy (and enjoy protagonists who are smarter than everyone in the room), you’ll eat this up!

Outstanding, can’t wait for book 2. Fantasy, magic, political intrigue in a wonderful world building environment with complex characters. Strong female lead. Loved it. Thank you so much to the author, thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette ANZ and Antonia Hodgson for providing me with a copy of this book for the purposes of review. The below is my opinion, freely given.

WOW! Just wow. May the eight strike me down (and remain hidden) if this isnt a 5 star read for any Fantasy fan.

The world building is magnificent, rich and deep. The characters, oh the characters. The story itself rumbles along like a lazy river ride with rapids around every corner. The author languidly pulls you through this mystical place, taking her time to weave a tapestry as complex and exquisite as the finest silk rug, while throwing you into the fray whenever it suits and when you least expect it.

As someone who regularly picks the villian and untangles the plot fairly quickly, I DID NOT pick the way this story developed and it kept me turning the page well into the wee hours.

The characters I wanted to hate, I ended up loving. The characters I thought I loved.....well I love them still but I never thought I'd feel the way I do about some of them in the end.

I loved this book and cant wait to see what occurs in book two. Neema - I cannot wait to see how you travel through the next part of this journey and I really hope Pink-pink is around in book 2. I suspect there's more to him than meets his rolling eye.

The Raven Scholar was a book that took me by surprise. I had expected to like it (otherwise I wouldn't have requested the ARC), but I ended up loving it. The first half of the book, I was already enjoying it, then everything exploded and I was completely hooked. The story combines death games with political intrigue and god-like creatures. I loved the narrative voice with its wry humour; sometimes I was even laughing out loud as I read the lines (I'm looking at you, Sol), and the world building was nicely handled. The pacing began a bit slowly but soon took off, and the ending left me eager for more, so I can't wait for book two to see how the story will continue. At over 650 pages, it's a pretty long read, but it never felt like a drag, even with the slower pacing in the first half. If you enjoyed the narrative style of the Nevernight series, this book will be right up your alley. Also recommended for fans of epic fantasy who are looking for reads that aren't romance focused. I am giving it 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette ANZ for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While I found the first chapter quite confusing, it still grabbed me and made me not put this book down for 2 days until it was finished (even though today was the release day for Onyx Storm!)

I fell in love with the characters very early on, and it was a big surprise when the protagonist of the first few chapters turned out to not be the protagonist of the whole book! An interesting and unique idea I’ve not read before. At first, I was disappointed as I had really liked Yanara, but I then grew to love Neema even more. I also grew to love so many of the side characters - mainly Cain, of course, but also Sol, and my heart absolutely aches for Ruko.

I didn’t see any of the twists and turns coming, each one surprising me more than the last, and I’m already looking forward to re-reading in the future to try and pick up on more of the foreshadowing that was definitely there but easily missed on the first read.

If I absolutely had to nitpick something, there were a couple of small moments, especially in the first half, that were solved a little too conveniently - but overall, they don’t even come close to comparing to just how good the rest of the story was. From the characters - including the unique narration - through to the plot twists and eventually the ending, I loved this book and I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy on release day, along with counting down the days until the next book!

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson 🐦‍⬛🖋️📚

Every 24 years the land of Orrun anticipates a new Emperor or Empress. A competition is held where 8 selected contenders from Guardian monasteries fight to secure the throne. The night before the competition begins, a beloved contender is murdered. Neema Kraa, High Scholar and devotee to the Raven guardian, is allocated the investigation. As with all Raven’s, she is far too clever and asks far too many questions for her own good.

Competition trope ✅
Murder mystery ✅
Political intrigue ✅
Diverse characters ✅

4.5⭐️

What an absolute joyride this book was. The very first chapter had me captivated with the rich world building and plot. There is so much of that I loved. From the history of the world to the politics that catapulted me into the vicious dynamics of Orrun court life. Hodgson does an amazing job with the murder mystery and as we unravel the secrets of this world it is so hard to put down. Not to mention the romance subplot! Impressively the romance aspect did not hinder or overshadow the true themes of power, classism, loyalty and friendship. Being part of Neema’s journey was filled with humour, betrayal and book nerdiness. The in-text referencing was a great treat to come across as well - I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a scholar. Honestly I am in desperate need of the rest of the series as we are left on a cliff hanger 😭

Thank you to @hatchetteaus and @netgalley for granting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 29th April 2025