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A review by moonlightcupofcocoa
Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson
3.0
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Atmosphere: Wonderful for Fall and Halloween Vibes
Review Summary: I had high hopes for this book, especially with its autumnal ambiance, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. It did have a charming ending and an enchanting atmosphere that's hard to resist.
Would I Revisit It? I might revisit select parts of the book, but reading it cover to cover again seems unlikely. It lacked that certain magic that keeps me coming back for more.
Recommended For: If you're craving a middle-grade book with a cozy autumn/fall/halloween vibe, this isn't a bad choice. It even tugged at my heartstrings toward the end (yes, I cried ... actually I stared at the ceiling for maybe 15 minutes after). The final quote is very memorable.
The Details
I was genuinely excited about this book, diving into it even before October officially began (September 23rd is still part of the spooky season, in my book). The premise, featuring ancient Celtic creatures, a magical inn, and a psychic family, sounded like a perfect fit for me. However, while I'm glad I read it, the book didn't really scratch that itch.
First Impressions
Let's get this out of the way. I couldn't help but notice similarities to Disney's "Encanto." An enchanted inn, a family with supernatural powers, and a young girl feeling left out. While I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing, and I am almost sure this was written before Encanto's debut, I thought it was worth mentioning.
The Good
One thing this book does exceptionally well is make you crave hot cocoa, marshmallows, cookies, and, of course, Earl Grey tea. Lots and lots of Earl Grey tea.
A tray with five cups sits on a high table behind one couch, the orange scent of Earl Grey filling the air as a gleaming silver pot pours tea.
“Oh,” she says, clutching a half-empty mug of hot chocolate with pumpkin marshmallows to her chest.
I dash inside, where a pumpkin hot chocolate waits for me in a chipped blue mug on the table.
The descriptions of autumnal and cozy moments are abundant throughout the story. For me, this was exactly the cozy vibe I was looking for, even if it might have felt a bit forced at times. It inspired me to decorate my reading nook to match the book's atmosphere (and that doesn't happen very often)!
The Not-So-Good
The characters, while not unlikable, left me wanting more. Apart from the main characters, Anna and Colin, and to some extent, Anna's mom and uncle, the rest of the cast often felt underdeveloped or overlooked. Even if I actually really enjoyed their bantering. But it always felt like that's where it ended.
The book's effort to introduce diversity sometimes seemed like an afterthought, even though I'm sure it wasn't meant to be. It was disappointing to see potentially interesting character elements not fully explored.
I got so excited when I read, for example, about Anna's dad being Jewish. She brings it up a couple times. Then, nothing. Almost nothing gets done with that. We don't see him at all (which is explained in the book, so at least that I understand). A couple references to Jewish culture here and there, but that's that.
I understand that it won't always be possible to include a lot about each character's backstory, but if it's important to mention it, shouldn't it be important to see more of it?
Perhaps we'll see more depth in the next book?
The Missed Opportunities
Deep breath... My biggest disappointment was the pacing of the book. It's clear that the author put a lot of love, effort, and research into building this world and its mythology. However, much of this richness is conveyed through characters' explanations rather than immersive experiences. Telling you a LOT without showing it. Unique shops and mythical creatures are described but rarely revisited. While I understand the intent was to make these things feel ordinary to the characters, I, as a reader, wanted to be more immersed in this captivating world.
So many times, something cool or interesting is mentioned and Anna, or her family, simply shrug it off and move on.
Can we spend more time actually experiencing the magic? Even if they're not 100% related to the core plot? The book already prioritizes the fall vibes. I'm sure all the tea isn't exactly driving plot here, even if it did make me drink a lot of tea myself.
The training sequences felt like a chore, though they did contribute to character development. When you get to the final face-off, you're ready to witness an epic battle and it starts off that way. Then, you get to the plot twist (the solution to the whole problem) and, it felt almost anti-climactic. Almost. It's not even a bad plot-twist. It's just so sudden and sped through that I had to go back and reread what happened because I wasn't entirely sure that was the finale of the battle.
But, it was all worth it for the ending. I loved it. I cried through it. It does tackle darker, heavier themes but it did so respectfully and beautifully. I genuinely felt happy for the characters.
In the end, I'll take a break from this universe for now, though I had originally planned to read the sequel this year.
Despite my criticisms, I did find moments of joy and magic in this story.
Thank you for reading my very long rant; I'm curious to hear if you agree or disagree!
Atmosphere: Wonderful for Fall and Halloween Vibes
Review Summary: I had high hopes for this book, especially with its autumnal ambiance, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. It did have a charming ending and an enchanting atmosphere that's hard to resist.
Would I Revisit It? I might revisit select parts of the book, but reading it cover to cover again seems unlikely. It lacked that certain magic that keeps me coming back for more.
Recommended For: If you're craving a middle-grade book with a cozy autumn/fall/halloween vibe, this isn't a bad choice. It even tugged at my heartstrings toward the end (yes, I cried ... actually I stared at the ceiling for maybe 15 minutes after). The final quote is very memorable.
The Details
I was genuinely excited about this book, diving into it even before October officially began (September 23rd is still part of the spooky season, in my book). The premise, featuring ancient Celtic creatures, a magical inn, and a psychic family, sounded like a perfect fit for me. However, while I'm glad I read it, the book didn't really scratch that itch.
First Impressions
Let's get this out of the way. I couldn't help but notice similarities to Disney's "Encanto." An enchanted inn, a family with supernatural powers, and a young girl feeling left out. While I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing, and I am almost sure this was written before Encanto's debut, I thought it was worth mentioning.
The Good
One thing this book does exceptionally well is make you crave hot cocoa, marshmallows, cookies, and, of course, Earl Grey tea. Lots and lots of Earl Grey tea.
A tray with five cups sits on a high table behind one couch, the orange scent of Earl Grey filling the air as a gleaming silver pot pours tea.
“Oh,” she says, clutching a half-empty mug of hot chocolate with pumpkin marshmallows to her chest.
I dash inside, where a pumpkin hot chocolate waits for me in a chipped blue mug on the table.
The descriptions of autumnal and cozy moments are abundant throughout the story. For me, this was exactly the cozy vibe I was looking for, even if it might have felt a bit forced at times. It inspired me to decorate my reading nook to match the book's atmosphere (and that doesn't happen very often)!
The Not-So-Good
The characters, while not unlikable, left me wanting more. Apart from the main characters, Anna and Colin, and to some extent, Anna's mom and uncle, the rest of the cast often felt underdeveloped or overlooked. Even if I actually really enjoyed their bantering. But it always felt like that's where it ended.
The book's effort to introduce diversity sometimes seemed like an afterthought, even though I'm sure it wasn't meant to be. It was disappointing to see potentially interesting character elements not fully explored.
I got so excited when I read, for example, about Anna's dad being Jewish. She brings it up a couple times. Then, nothing. Almost nothing gets done with that. We don't see him at all (which is explained in the book, so at least that I understand). A couple references to Jewish culture here and there, but that's that.
I understand that it won't always be possible to include a lot about each character's backstory, but if it's important to mention it, shouldn't it be important to see more of it?
Perhaps we'll see more depth in the next book?
The Missed Opportunities
Deep breath... My biggest disappointment was the pacing of the book. It's clear that the author put a lot of love, effort, and research into building this world and its mythology. However, much of this richness is conveyed through characters' explanations rather than immersive experiences. Telling you a LOT without showing it. Unique shops and mythical creatures are described but rarely revisited. While I understand the intent was to make these things feel ordinary to the characters, I, as a reader, wanted to be more immersed in this captivating world.
So many times, something cool or interesting is mentioned and Anna, or her family, simply shrug it off and move on.
Can we spend more time actually experiencing the magic? Even if they're not 100% related to the core plot? The book already prioritizes the fall vibes. I'm sure all the tea isn't exactly driving plot here, even if it did make me drink a lot of tea myself.
The training sequences felt like a chore, though they did contribute to character development. When you get to the final face-off, you're ready to witness an epic battle and it starts off that way. Then, you get to the plot twist (the solution to the whole problem) and, it felt almost anti-climactic. Almost. It's not even a bad plot-twist. It's just so sudden and sped through that I had to go back and reread what happened because I wasn't entirely sure that was the finale of the battle.
But, it was all worth it for the ending. I loved it. I cried through it. It does tackle darker, heavier themes but it did so respectfully and beautifully. I genuinely felt happy for the characters.
In the end, I'll take a break from this universe for now, though I had originally planned to read the sequel this year.
Despite my criticisms, I did find moments of joy and magic in this story.
Thank you for reading my very long rant; I'm curious to hear if you agree or disagree!