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thepolishedbibliophile's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
The cover drew me in, but the world building and intriguing characters kept me hooked. The courtship trials were interesting and I found myself wanting to keep reading to find out how they would turn out, along with what would happen between Lyana and Rafe. Along with the world building, I enjoyed learning about the magic systems, the dragons and the different winged courts. I found the narration of this story to be perfect! I cannot wait to continue with this series and find out what will continue to happen! Thank you to NetGalley and Kaitlyn Davis for an audio copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
popthebutterfly's review against another edition
1.0
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!
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!
neville_lvr_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
3.75
I don’t even know how to write this review because I am SO UPSET with the ending to this book 😅😂 😭
The Raven and the Dove is the first book in YA fantasy series following Lyana, the dove princess, Xander, the raven prince, and Rafe, Xander’s bastard-born half brother. The world building is pretty cool - six kingdoms floating in the sky, each run by a different half bird/half human house - the doves represent the House of Peace, the ravens the House of Whispers, the owls the House of Wisdom, the eagles the House of Prey, then there is also the House of Paradise and the House of Song. The first half of the book is dedicated to the courtship trials, where the first and second born of each house tries to win the right to be the “mate” of another. The second half details the aftereffects and has a lot of build up for the rest of the series. I think I enjoyed the beginning and the courtship trials a little better, but I definitely want to read more.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but full disclosure, the book ends on a *massive* cliffhanger. The actions of some of the characters pissed me off more than I thought they would, and I have a feeling one or more of them will be forgiven in the second book and I just can’t 😅
Thanks to @kaitlyndavisbooks for the audio via @netgalley !
The Raven and the Dove is the first book in YA fantasy series following Lyana, the dove princess, Xander, the raven prince, and Rafe, Xander’s bastard-born half brother. The world building is pretty cool - six kingdoms floating in the sky, each run by a different half bird/half human house - the doves represent the House of Peace, the ravens the House of Whispers, the owls the House of Wisdom, the eagles the House of Prey, then there is also the House of Paradise and the House of Song. The first half of the book is dedicated to the courtship trials, where the first and second born of each house tries to win the right to be the “mate” of another. The second half details the aftereffects and has a lot of build up for the rest of the series. I think I enjoyed the beginning and the courtship trials a little better, but I definitely want to read more.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but full disclosure, the book ends on a *massive* cliffhanger. The actions of some of the characters pissed me off more than I thought they would, and I have a feeling one or more of them will be forgiven in the second book and I just can’t 😅
Thanks to @kaitlyndavisbooks for the audio via @netgalley !
murve's review against another edition
2.0
I reaalllllyyyy wanted to love this one! Unfortunately, it just fell flat for me. I loved the concept, but the execution just wasn't there.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
klaudiamajek's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
holliebellinger's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cafeyre's review against another edition
4.0
I think I should start this review with a fan fact. I just found out that this book is a retelling of one of my favorite childhood stories, Tristan and Isolde! It all makes sense now! How could I not see it before?
The world created in the story is focused on royal houses that were blessed and saved by Gods. Each house is called by the different type of a bird and blessed by different God. The book tells the story of Lyana, the princess of the doves and Rafe, the bastard of the king of ravens. Lyana dreams about being free, travel and explore the unknown, however, as a princess she has her obligation like choosing a mate and become a queen and wife. She understands the need to sacrifice all her dreams for a good cause. On the last night before the trials and ceremony, she sneaks out of the castle so she can be free for the last night. That’s where she crossed her ways with Rafe. He got attacked and injured by a dragon. If she and her friend wouldn’t help him, he would die. Lyana has a gift, she can cure people with magic. To save him she takes him to the cave to heal him there. That’s the moment I really like it because they are getting to know each other but they both lie about who they are. Lyana thinks he’s the prince of ravens and Rafe thinks she’s just a normal girl. Rafe doesn’t correct her because he came here to win a mate for his brother pretending, he is the prince. They look almost the same, however, Xander isn’t as physically gifted so he asked his brother to take part in the trials instead of him.
Xander and Rafe are very close to each other and they would do everything for each other. I couldn’t decide which one of them I felt worse because they both have problematic lives. I love their relationship because even if their past could mess up things between them, they remained to be brothers and best friends. It makes me so sad knowing that trials and their switch of personalities make everything complicated and destroy their brotherhood step by step.
This book includes so much hope for finding someone the characters will be finally understood and free with. Lysandra was looking for someone she wouldn’t need to hide her secrets from, however, Xander was looking for someone he would spend days in the library, someone who would understand him. They almost got what they were looking for but as it always happens in life, everything got much more complicated for everyone.
I felt so bad for these three main characters. Lyana after trials and travel to her new homeland she felt like in a cage. Xander wished just this one time to be loved and learn what true love is like but his mate’s heart couldn’t be one by him. However, Rafe just wished to change his past, he was a black sheep in the kingdom, not welcome but anyone but his brother.
I honestly wish this book would change differently. I felt so much pain for every single thing that happened at the end. I think Rafe’s case was the most painful of all. I cannot believe that after everything that happened the only thing that he loved so much was taken away from him. His life was already crushed by all that happened the day before and now this. I don’t know if I will be able to read a sequel and find in what condition he is.
This book had some parts I didn’t like that much but despite it, I can say it was a good read. I enjoyed the story and the characters. As tragic as this story was for its characters, I still enjoyed it. I hope the second book will be even better than this one.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Kaitlyn Davis for providing me this copy. I enjoyed this book a lot and I can’t wait to read another book in this series.
The world created in the story is focused on royal houses that were blessed and saved by Gods. Each house is called by the different type of a bird and blessed by different God. The book tells the story of Lyana, the princess of the doves and Rafe, the bastard of the king of ravens. Lyana dreams about being free, travel and explore the unknown, however, as a princess she has her obligation like choosing a mate and become a queen and wife. She understands the need to sacrifice all her dreams for a good cause. On the last night before the trials and ceremony, she sneaks out of the castle so she can be free for the last night. That’s where she crossed her ways with Rafe. He got attacked and injured by a dragon. If she and her friend wouldn’t help him, he would die. Lyana has a gift, she can cure people with magic. To save him she takes him to the cave to heal him there. That’s the moment I really like it because they are getting to know each other but they both lie about who they are. Lyana thinks he’s the prince of ravens and Rafe thinks she’s just a normal girl. Rafe doesn’t correct her because he came here to win a mate for his brother pretending, he is the prince. They look almost the same, however, Xander isn’t as physically gifted so he asked his brother to take part in the trials instead of him.
Xander and Rafe are very close to each other and they would do everything for each other. I couldn’t decide which one of them I felt worse because they both have problematic lives. I love their relationship because even if their past could mess up things between them, they remained to be brothers and best friends. It makes me so sad knowing that trials and their switch of personalities make everything complicated and destroy their brotherhood step by step.
This book includes so much hope for finding someone the characters will be finally understood and free with. Lysandra was looking for someone she wouldn’t need to hide her secrets from, however, Xander was looking for someone he would spend days in the library, someone who would understand him. They almost got what they were looking for but as it always happens in life, everything got much more complicated for everyone.
I felt so bad for these three main characters. Lyana after trials and travel to her new homeland she felt like in a cage. Xander wished just this one time to be loved and learn what true love is like but his mate’s heart couldn’t be one by him. However, Rafe just wished to change his past, he was a black sheep in the kingdom, not welcome but anyone but his brother.
I honestly wish this book would change differently. I felt so much pain for every single thing that happened at the end. I think Rafe’s case was the most painful of all. I cannot believe that after everything that happened the only thing that he loved so much was taken away from him. His life was already crushed by all that happened the day before and now this. I don’t know if I will be able to read a sequel and find in what condition he is.
This book had some parts I didn’t like that much but despite it, I can say it was a good read. I enjoyed the story and the characters. As tragic as this story was for its characters, I still enjoyed it. I hope the second book will be even better than this one.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Kaitlyn Davis for providing me this copy. I enjoyed this book a lot and I can’t wait to read another book in this series.
laceyr's review against another edition
4.0
This book has it all: angst, betrayal, competition, deception, dragons, forbidden romance, royalty, and a stunning cover.
The world building is definitely a strong point. How cool are floating islands in a sea of mist, where the people have wings and can fly? I want wings. I want to be able to fly.
It did take me a while to warm up to the main characters. Rafe is very moody & brooding, and Lyana comes across as the spoiled princess. But they really do grow on you. I loved Cassi and Xander and hope to get more of them in the rest of the series.
I wanted more from the Courtship Trials. A competition for young royals to find their mates is such an interesting premise, but it fell a little flat for me.
Plenty of questions are answered throughout to keep the reader satisfied, but it leaves just enough unanswered to keep you wanting more. I’m definitely interested in checking out the next book in the series to see what happens next.
I received a free copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
czarfancypants's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25