A tale of two women trying to survive in a ruthless society

In The Raven’s Call, we meet two very different but equally strong women who form a bond that feels like a mother-daughter or big sister-little sister relationship. One of them sees protecting others (especially her female companions) as her top priority. The other has to learn how to be strong and survive in a harsh world without losing herself in the process.

The contrast between the two characters is really well done, and their growth throughout the story is powerful. By the end, you feel proud of them, like you’ve known them personally. The book does a great job showing the kind of struggles many women face: the grief of losing loved ones, the pressure to stay strong when others depend on you, the emotional weight of taking care of others, and the guilt that can come when you feel like you’ve failed them.

The last 60 pages had me on edge. I was torn between racing through to see what happened and wanting to look away because of how intense it got.

I do have a couple of small issues with the story. At the beginning, it seemed like the main character had two big goals: first, to get the woman she was protecting to safety, and second, to take revenge on those who had hurt her in the past. While the first goal is completed, the second one kind of disappears. It’s never really brought up again, not even to say she let it go. Also, one of the main villains, who seemed really determined to catch them, just drops out of the story. Maybe these things were left out on purpose to be picked up in a sequel but I would have liked some closure.

You’ll probably enjoy this book if you’re into Viking-like stories (even though it’s actually set in a different world based on the Great Steppe and its tribes it can give you a similar mood), strong female leads, and fast-paced chapters where the characters never really get a break.

I recommend this one. At first it felt a little slow, and it does jump a bit between which character it is being focused on. But it ends up being a fairly fast paced book with several trials for the main protagonists. This book could be of high interest for older secondary students. I am adding to my list to buy a physical copg of.

Thank you NetGalley! The start of this book was riddled with inconsistent writing quality, the sentences feeling haphazard in structure and presentation. Author seems to find her stride but continues to introduce a vast amount of characters, tribes, etc. Several are quickly dispatched, others fates unknown. The main character is Rayla. Initially she is a mentally damaged, slave-like person who only lives for hard work. A black raven seems to follow her along with a white one (the white one isn’t a constant in the story; no idea what happened to it). The story picks up when raiders enter the village and Rayla rescues and saves Kiri, the chiefs wife. She now has amazing warrior skills and is determined to escort Kiri to her family tribe. Conspiracy and war follow. Although pretty good, this needed to be a longer story and the characters need to be fleshed out to make a better reading experience. Still well worth the read.

After disaster strikes Rayl's tribe, she flees with Kiri, the wife of the Khan, and a young man, Kynan, who is kin of Kiri. Follow fierce warrior woman Rayl on her quest to deliver Kiri and Kynan to their home: the Askuzai tribe.

First of all, I want to compliment this book on its beautiful cover. I know, don't judge a book by its cover, but hey, it definitely helps!

So what did I love about the story/what kept me reading?
- I just thought Rayl was the coolest name. Period.
- Loved how the history in the book was beautifully introduced by Marina Costa in the foreword
- The inner politics of the Askuzai were super interesting, from the election of the Khan to the scheming in the background, all of these things were fantastically portrayed by Emma C. Buenen
- Yavar Khan speaking up for Ryal “you will not despise one of our widows broken by war.” - Respecting women *Chef's Kiss*
- Kiri's character development was great, you really see her grow while you read along with the story.
- To my surprise you read in multiple POVs. From the description of this book I expected this story to be out of Rayl's POV, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it different.
- The writing holds a certain kind of gravitas, which consisted throughout the whole book, but definitely added to the story.

What icked me?
- I found it weird that Rayl went from basically non-verbal, kind of passive person to this super responsible warrior in the beginning. HOWEVER! The more you learn about her past, the more sense it made.

Overall I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end and it constantly entertained me and kept me on my toes. I most whole-heartedly recommend it!

Also a special thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC. I hope to see it circulate in the social circles of TikTok and Instagram as a recommendation for others.

Slightly more historically based than my liking, only reason for 1 star less. The detail is fantastic. Also side note, the cover art is absolutely gorgeous!

This historical fiction takes place amongst nomadic tribes upon the Eurasian steppe. Where we find, Rayl, a widow whose mind has been broken by all she's endured and her deceased husband's kin who is the leader of the Lateri and also her only protector. Her kinsman's wife, Kiri, is a pampered and selfish young woman who treats Rayl as a servant. Rayl goes about her days in a fog until their tribe is attacked and her kinsman is slaughtered. Suddenly she's returned to mental clarity, battling to escape with Kiri and Kiri's cousin. Rayl has one continuous thought, to safely deliver the spoiled Kiri into the arms of her family across treacherous lands while avoiding bands of men intent upon her demise. However, the ravens that have constantly dogged her steps in Lateri continue to be a presence throughout their headlong journey to safety, portending misadventure and leaving her with nuggets of her memories in their wake. The end of their journey does not provide the sanctuary Rayl expects and her services to protect Kiri are still very much in need, despite Kiri's brother's powerful presence.

This was a time in history I have not read about before and I enjoyed the expectation that women would be trained to ride as well as fight. There were several different women featured in this story and each were authentically rendered in unique ways which added tension and depth. The characters were compelling as was the story. It was fast-paced and threaded throughout with tension. I am hopeful there will be a sequel.