Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Ravensong

T.J is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors - the stories he weaves…there’s just something special that I can’t articulate with what I think is proper praise. They’re just beautiful. And Ravensong is no different.

I found Ravensong followed closer to a plot-based narrative, but still retained the poetic elements of what made Wolfsong unique. Because it is definitely a unique narrative style that I don’t know is for everyone. The use of repetition, jumping between past & present, dialogue among pack bonds, and alternative sentence structure all contribute to such an impactful story of belonging, family, love, heartbreak, and always <i>packpackpack</i>

Ravensong opens the door to Gordo’s backstory. We know there’s some traumatic history based on his actions in Wolfsong, and we get the full, horribly heartbreaking scope of things surrounding his relationship with Mark, and the pack as a whole. I loved the focus on an older couple and we get some great scenes of comic relief from the “Team Human” shop guys.

In short - absolutely fantastic.

Content Warnings

kharlan3's review against another edition

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(m/m, werewolves, romance). Kirt Graves' narration makes this book. Gordo feels so lived in. (spoilers to follow in thread)

Things I like about Ravensong:

a kinda flawed mom (it seems like otherwise, every mom in the series is perfect and every father either SUPER sucks or significantly sucks). I also really like meeting Rico, Tanner, & Chris as children. The characterization of the hunters is compelling, and the set up of Caswell folks working with them does a really good job slowly building the creeping dread.

Overall, it's a great setup for the next books.

Things I like less: the word "lowly" as in "growled lowly". IDK why I hate it.

Robert Livingstone doesn't seem to have a single redeeming quality. Parts of the sex scene really don't work for me. And I'm not 100% convinced about the WHY of Mark and Gordo. Also- where in the Ravensong narrative does the moment that Ox recounts in Wolfsong happen where he sees Gordo and Mark go to the movies?

Content Warnings

nerdynatreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Best Reading Month Ever?? —June Wrap Up || 20 books!

Okay, so the relationship in Wolfsong had a bit of angst, but my god, that was nothing compared to Gordo and Mark in Ravensong. Was I mad though?? No, not at all, because this is the kind of drama I want in lovers to enemies to lovers. With that being said, the romance wasn't quite as prevalent as I would have liked, but the emotions still flow through every interaction. The tension between these two dumbasses is undeniable, but man do they try to.

The rest of the plot is very serious and intense, with a good number of scenes making me cry once more, but there's also so much comedy? Even at the most inopportune times, Chris, Tanner, and Rico are cracking jokes and lightening the mood. It feels so true to them as characters, without messing with the pace.

Also, the found family just continues to squeeze my heart. I've fallen in love with every one of these characters, and even though Gordo is a giant idiot, I couldn't not love his rough-tough exterior, his morally grey ethics, but damn, does he have a big heart. He's always the first running into the danger and Mark is chasing after him, trying to keep this moron safe. That might be my new favorite ship trope, honestly.

Not sure how I'm feeling going into the next book. The story itself has me intrigued, particularly with an ending like that, but Robbie has yet to win me over, so I'm not sure how I'll like being in his head.

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