A review by paperprivateer
The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

 I don’t usually do well with spooky things, so I had to read this is one sitting so I didn’t get too scared. The suspense and mystery kept me reading long past my bedtime to make sure everything turned out okay in the end. 

 

There are a lot of gothic elements. The manor is crumbling and covered in occult symbols and the forest is creepy and mysterious. There’s rumors of witchcraft, mysterious ravens, signs of the occult, and people who might not be trustworthy around every corner. It’s difficult to know who is trustworthy. Even the main character is mysterious, making us wonder who she really is and how she got herself in this situation. 

 

Some elements of the story are predictable, but there’s enough tension that the predictability doesn’t take away from the overall story. Some of it drags a little, and the reveals aren’t paced as well as they perhaps could have. However, the way the tension builds over time lends well to the creepy, mysterious setting. It all builds to a satisfactory ending. 

 

The cast of characters are interesting and mysterious. I particularly enjoyed Bran, but I do wish I’d been able to get to know our two main characters a little bit better. Some of the characterization seemed to be lost in the challenge to keep things mysterious. 

 

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and it’s a great read for “spooky season” or when you want more atmospheric tension in a romantic story. 

 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving a copy.