Name: The Raven and the Dove
Rating: 3.8 (25 reviews)
ISBN: 9781087812618

Kaitlyn Davis

A princess longing to be free. A bastard aching to belong. A prince determined to save his kingdom. And a spy ready to wreck them all. Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

The Raven and the Dove

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher on netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Raven and the Dove

Author: Kaitlyn Davis

Book Series: The Raven and the Dove Book 1

Rating: 1/5

Publication Date: March 9, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed

Publisher: Amazon Services

Pages: 506

Amazon Link

Synopsis: A princess longing to be free...

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong...

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart...

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Three shocking betrayals. Two star-crossed lovers. One unforgettable journey. If you like fierce heroines, brooding heroes, forbidden romance, and action-packed magical adventures with twists you'll never see coming, don't miss The Raven and the Dove!

Review: I had to DNF this book. I felt like I had read this same story before. I am NOT saying that this book is plagiarizing another work but I feel like this book is just a rehashing of the same plot points in a different manner. I’m aware it’s a Tristian and Isolde retelling, but for some reason this book just feels so old to me. The characters aren’t appealing to me and the world building is everywhere. Stuff just feels like it’s thrown into your face without warning. It’s a bit of a chaotic read and it was really slow. I made it about 38% through before I had to quit reading.

Verdict: Not for me, but might be for you!

Leelynn Brady

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Amazon Digital Services, LLC for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Okay what?!?!? Seriously this book just kept breaking my heart left and right. How was I even able to get through this book without crying every so often? Well that’s not true because I was crying every so often. I was crying in the beginning when I was hearing about Rafe’s parents, then the battle with the dragon in the very beginning, then Lyana and Cassi and how they became sisters in arms basically.

Ugh I’m just really emotional honestly. I was really into this book the entire time I was reading it and then I was like… really, really sad that it was over and just wow. Clearly I have no control over my words and thoughts right now but I was just way into this novel. Like, way into it.

When we first meet Rafe and Xander, I was so into their brotherhood for one another, and then hearing the backstory on them and why Rafe still belongs in the kingdom despite everyone else really wanting him dead or exiled was insane. Like, I’m so freaking proud of Xander sticking up for his baby brother like he did.

Then I was really happy with the friendship between Lyana and Cassi, and again there was that introduction on how Lyana and Cassi became friends – more like sisters – and that just warmed my heart too.

I can’t believe the next three books are coming out so quickly though?! I’m just really excited, okay????

Taylor McNeely

I loved reading this book because it was romance, fantasy, and action all in one setting. Those three things are my favorite themes of the books I read and this book did a great job at balancing them throughout it. I really didn’t know if I would like the semi love triangle in the book since that is my most hated trope, BUT it was way different then I thought it would be. .
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Lyana was very impulsive and didn’t always think through her decisions, but I loved how she always followed her heart no matter what anyone said. Rafe was so selfless and loyal even though he acted like a grump and I tended to feel bad for the sad and lonely life he had to live. Even though he did make mistakes towards the end of the book, I couldn’t be completely mad because his actions are from a boy who has never been loved by his family or people and that’s something he wanted so badly. On the other hand, his brother Xander was a funny and charismatic character and let’s just say he was not done justice in the end no matter how much I like Rafe. .
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I almost gave this book four stars, but the ending was so shocking and crazy I couldn’t help but give it the five full stars. Towards the end, I couldn’t stop thinking, “OMG, did they really do that? What‘s going to happen next??!!” And of course, this book ended on a cliff hanger and now I’m upset that I read this book so early because now I have to wait even longer to read the second one!
*Thanks @netgalley for my advanced copy*

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

I received an eARC of this book for my participation in the instagram cover reveal tour organized by MTMC Tours

When I read that this was a retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, I was immediately sold and signed up for the Instagram tour. Now that I’ve read it, I’m happy I followed that impulse, because I really enjoyed this story. 

The worldbuilding was interesting and never info-dumped. I was immediately drawn to the world and had no trouble following the dynamics that governed it. 

The characters quickly got under my skin—so much so that by the time the drama starts to unfold, I was suffering for all parties involved. I should have been prepared, since I love the forbidden romance in the tale of Tristan and Isolde, but alas, I wasn’t. I wanted everyone to be happy and it wasn’t happening any time soon. Can I pinpoint who my favorite character is? Maybe Xander, or Cassi? But then again Rafe is the brooding, misunderstood hero and Lyana is a ray of sunshine with whom I could see myself being friends with. I was so invested that even though I rooted for Lyana and Rafe, I couldn’t help but suffer for Xander. As for Cassi, who has nothing to do with the romantic dynamic, I thought she was an interesting character—perhaps the most interesting and complex of them all. I enjoyed her POVs very much. 

The ending, though, was brutal. I shouldn’t have been allowed to read this so soon, because now I must know how things will unfold and the wait will be too long! *cries forever* AND I WANT THE ARTWORK WITH ALL OF THE CHARACTERS! *cries even more*

Alicia Haws

3.5-4 STARS

I enjoyed this new series starter from Kaitlyn Davis. I liked the story and the characters, and the writing was really immersive, and pulled me in.

The characters were really great! I love our MC Lyana, she is very similar to me and I connected with her. She is independent and kind of strong-willed, but she is always trying to do the right thing. Rafe was also a really great broody leading man. I really enjoyed the connection that they share in the book through their secret magic.

The only thing I had slight difficulty with was the world-building. I didn’t quite understand it for the first half of the book. This might have just been a total “me” issue, but I just couldn’t grasp onto it easily.

If you dive into this one, be prepared for a HUGE cliffhanger at the end. Like, I couldn’t wrap my mind around the way it ended, and I HAVE to have the second book! 

Overall, I really enjoyed it, and look forward to the rest of the series, and anything else that Davis will put out.

Special thanks to the author and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange only for my honest thoughts and review!



  


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Aubrey Erskine

For the full review visit my blog:
 http://shelflifechronicles.com/2020/0...

Deceit, dragons, hidden magic and star-crossed lovers. The Raven and the Dove has all of that and more. Set in a world divided into two, those above and those below, it delivered a story beyond two people fighting fate for love. It’s about a princess who dreams of a higher calling, a prince who longs for approval, a bastard who wants to be accepted and an owl who hides the darkest secrets of them all.

Vanessa Bintou

I really liked The Raven and the Dove and I can't wait for the next book!
What I loved the most was the world building and the magic system! Even though we learnt a lot of things about some characters, the magic and the world, there's still so much we don't really know! It's so interesting to read something different, very refreshing!

I have to say that the little glimpses we got from the world down the mist, made it even more fascinated! I can't wait to read the next installment, because from the twists in the end of the first book, I am pretty sure that the second will be split between the two worlds!

What I didn't get was the retelling aspect, but that's probably because I don't really know the story of Tristan and Isolde that well...
Rafe and Lyanna were amazing and I loved them both! Xander on the other hand, was a good character and very likeable, but in the end I wasn't really interested in him..

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Adamson

The raven and the dove is a magical retelling of Tristan and Isolde. It's a story of duty, betrayal and star-crossed love. I really enjoyed it! 

One thing i really loved about this book was the world-building. The world and the magic system were really interesting and unique! However, there is still lots that the reader doesn't know from book one which makes me really excited to pick up the second book and learn more! 

The characters in this one were also fantastic. From the first page they felt so real to me so when the drama starts to unfold I was so emotionally invested! I really understood all their motives and felt their emotions through the page. Some moments were just so heartbreaking because I just felt so torn for the characters! (Xander :(((). 

This book also ends on a super big cliffhanger and I just cannot wait to pick up the second book and dive back into this world! 

Overall I really enjoyed this book! The world Kaitlyn Davis created is fantastic and the characters are raw and loveable. I can't wait to read more from this series<3

The Raven and the Dove

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