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stormeno's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jennfs10's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sarag19's review
5.0
***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
Do you like court intrigue? Secrets, lies, betrayals intermixed with monsters that aren’t what they appear and magic? A slow burn romance with a feisty heroine and duty bound hero? Because I certainly do and Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove delivered on everything I could have hoped for and than some.
Katyani is an adoptive member of the royal family, saved by the Queen as a young child who seems her primary responsibility to protect and pay back the woman that saved her life. Katyani is a great lead heroine, shes incredibly loyal, calls into question thinks she doesn’t agree with yet is willing to listen to their wisdom and is most willing to acknowledge her own faults even if she isn’t always quick to correct them. There is a lot that happens that would give reason for her to test her loyality and despite it all she holds true to who she is. She just wants to protect the people that she loves even when she is betrayed as the truth slowly comes out and she must question everything about her life is called into question. It made her character arc that much more enjoyable as while she grows she is still who she is. Daksh is such a sweet male lead, he’s not brooding or cruel, he clearly likes Katyani from the beginning and she loves to tease him which makes their back and forth sweet and funny. They play well off each other.
The romance between Katyani and Daksh is the definition of a slow burn, they dance around each other and their feelings for the entire book. It may be a bit frustrating watching two characters that clearly adore each other find every reason to be apart but it true to who they are as characters. Katyani and Daksh both has responsibilities that they are dedicated to and how they come to a resolution on their romance and responsibilities fits who they both are and I loved it. Anything other than how they got to the point wouldn’t have fit with the story that was being told.
The court intrigue is really interesting and a great part of the book because you aren’t going to get all the answers. Yes it a little frustrating to see that aren’t going to get all the answers to Katyani’s past and that is okay because ultimately you can figure it out on your own. Power plays and holding people as pawns fits perfectly into the intrigue and it isn’t always a simply answer. I appreciate that the author doesn’t shy away from not just laying it all out, leaving a little bit of mystery for the reader to piece together with the clues from the story.
The writing is really nice, I loved the ancient setting and the mythology woven throughout the story. The different monsters all have their own unique treats and are more than just face value they are given their own complex stories and unique traits which just adds more depth to an already wonderful story.
Do you like court intrigue? Secrets, lies, betrayals intermixed with monsters that aren’t what they appear and magic? A slow burn romance with a feisty heroine and duty bound hero? Because I certainly do and Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove delivered on everything I could have hoped for and than some.
Katyani is an adoptive member of the royal family, saved by the Queen as a young child who seems her primary responsibility to protect and pay back the woman that saved her life. Katyani is a great lead heroine, shes incredibly loyal, calls into question thinks she doesn’t agree with yet is willing to listen to their wisdom and is most willing to acknowledge her own faults even if she isn’t always quick to correct them. There is a lot that happens that would give reason for her to test her loyality and despite it all she holds true to who she is. She just wants to protect the people that she loves even when she is betrayed as the truth slowly comes out and she must question everything about her life is called into question. It made her character arc that much more enjoyable as while she grows she is still who she is. Daksh is such a sweet male lead, he’s not brooding or cruel, he clearly likes Katyani from the beginning and she loves to tease him which makes their back and forth sweet and funny. They play well off each other.
The romance between Katyani and Daksh is the definition of a slow burn, they dance around each other and their feelings for the entire book. It may be a bit frustrating watching two characters that clearly adore each other find every reason to be apart but it true to who they are as characters. Katyani and Daksh both has responsibilities that they are dedicated to and how they come to a resolution on their romance and responsibilities fits who they both are and I loved it. Anything other than how they got to the point wouldn’t have fit with the story that was being told.
The court intrigue is really interesting and a great part of the book because you aren’t going to get all the answers. Yes it a little frustrating to see that aren’t going to get all the answers to Katyani’s past and that is okay because ultimately you can figure it out on your own. Power plays and holding people as pawns fits perfectly into the intrigue and it isn’t always a simply answer. I appreciate that the author doesn’t shy away from not just laying it all out, leaving a little bit of mystery for the reader to piece together with the clues from the story.
The writing is really nice, I loved the ancient setting and the mythology woven throughout the story. The different monsters all have their own unique treats and are more than just face value they are given their own complex stories and unique traits which just adds more depth to an already wonderful story.
loufitz's review
5.0
Au début, j’ai pris ce livre pour un jeune adulte fantastique un peu comme les autres, à ça près que l’univers change de l’habituelle mythologie européenne. On est ici plutôt du côté de l’asie du sud.
Le synopsis semblait assez classique, avec des complots, une femme “pas comme les autres” qui va prouver aux hommes qu’elle vaut autant qu’eux, jusqu’à ce qu’elle rencontre un homme qui va lui montrer qu’elle n’a rien à prouver.
Mais à un moment, le récit prend un tournant très sérré vers une intrigue plus complexe, de la violence et encore de la violence. Je vous ai parlé de la violence aussi?
Je ne m’y attendais pas, ce qui m’a fait apprecier encore plus ma lecture.
C’est à partir de ce tournant que je me suis mise à dévorer le reste du livre.
Le synopsis semblait assez classique, avec des complots, une femme “pas comme les autres” qui va prouver aux hommes qu’elle vaut autant qu’eux, jusqu’à ce qu’elle rencontre un homme qui va lui montrer qu’elle n’a rien à prouver.
Mais à un moment, le récit prend un tournant très sérré vers une intrigue plus complexe, de la violence et encore de la violence. Je vous ai parlé de la violence aussi?
Je ne m’y attendais pas, ce qui m’a fait apprecier encore plus ma lecture.
C’est à partir de ce tournant que je me suis mise à dévorer le reste du livre.
mandyh47's review
emotional
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
tortacular's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Tropey but fun once it gets it's legs.
fionak's review
5.0
Started out a bit slow but once the story got going, it was one hell of a ride. The characterization is excellent, the pacing is almost perfect and the world-building wonderful. I laughed, I cried, I reveled.
A big pile of gratitude to Wednesday Books for the free advance copy, and I trust they will be putting a map in the final published version.
A big pile of gratitude to Wednesday Books for the free advance copy, and I trust they will be putting a map in the final published version.
kukucocoreads's review
4.0
I liked this!
I thought the use of Indian mythology and culture in this fantasy setting was really interesting. The world- building was really easy to get immersed into.
I admired the main characters strength, compassion, and sense of humor. I like how she is unapologetically herself. The author kind of uses her as a punching bag, but the MC is too strong willed for things to get too angsty and the story is nicely paced so you can’t dwell on the bad stuff for too long. I also like how her journey of self-discovery forces her to confront her own misconceptions about others and reevaluate them.
The romance was cute and entertaining to see play out.
I thought the use of Indian mythology and culture in this fantasy setting was really interesting. The world- building was really easy to get immersed into.
I admired the main characters strength, compassion, and sense of humor. I like how she is unapologetically herself. The author kind of uses her as a punching bag, but the MC is too strong willed for things to get too angsty and the story is nicely paced so you can’t dwell on the bad stuff for too long. I also like how her journey of self-discovery forces her to confront her own misconceptions about others and reevaluate them.
The romance was cute and entertaining to see play out.
janewan's review
5.0
One of the BEST fantasy romance books I have read in a while. IT WAS SO GOOD. The character development, plot, plot twists, slow burn and witty romance, strong badass FMC…everything about this book was perfectly written and had me hooked from the first chapter
springsteen's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book packs an entire trilogy's worth of plot points into 350 pages. I don't mind that it's a standalone at all, but none of the events are given time to breathe or the room to examine their emotional impact on the characters, and the narrative tone feels at odds with the sometimes oddly modern dialogue.