King of Ravens - Clare Sager

He’ll do anything to keep her. She’ll do anything to escape.

Rhiannon is dying – of what she doesn’t know. Kept protected by her family in their clifftop home, she spends her days searching for a cure.

Her world is torn apart when an unseelie King of the Dead arrives and gives her a simple choice: descend to the underworld as his bride or he’ll take her family instead.

Trapped in a twisted bargain, Rhiannon is thrust into a world of withered gods, scheming courtiers, and ancient magic, but she refuses to be a pawn in a game she never agreed to play. Her new husband is powerful, cold, and infuriating and she is determined to hate him.

But in a court where beauty masks cruelty and every promise has teeth, hatred burns slowly into something else. Something dangerous. Something that could undo them both…

King of Ravens is the first book in a new series featuring a lushly dark fae court, morally grey hero, and an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers romance - perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night, Phantasma and Kingdom of the Wicked.

 

What did I think?

King of Ravens has bewitched me and I NEED to read the next book after that sucker punch of a cliffhanger ending completely floored me.  I should have expected to be left on the edge of my seat as it is the first book in a duology but I didn't expect to have become so addicted to the story that I would be left begging for more.

It is impossible to write a review that will do this book justice as it is just phenomenal from beginning to end.  It's a good book to read if you're new to fantasy as the world building is minimal and the larger than life (or death) characters carry the story forward at a rate of knots.  I was completely torn between wanting to devour the book in one go and stretching it out as I didn't want it to finish.

The chemistry between Rhiannon, a mortal, and Drystan, the King of Death, sizzles off the page.  There are plenty of steamy and swoony moments to get the reader's pulse racing as the enemies to lovers trope plays out.  The writing is so vivid and immersive that I was mesmerised by the breaktaking fae court and gripped by the tension of the labyrinth trials. 

Take a bow, Clare Sager!  King of Ravens is one of the most magnificent romantasy books I have ever read and I simply cannot wait to read the sequel Queen of Thorns.  Consider me well and truly obsessed - I loved it!

I received a gifted paperback for the Insta Book Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Nettle - Bex Hogan

Inspired by faery myth and folklore, the haunting, heart wrenching tale of a girl called Nettle in a dark, foreboding faery kingdom.

Welcome to a world of glittering courts, dangerous bargains and dazzling trickery...

A wild misfit in the human world, Nettle is enthralled by the glamour of the faery realm, with its two moons and scarlet stars. She grows close to Conor, a human stolen centuries before, and she also falls under the spell of mysterious Ellion, a Shadow Faery. To try to help her beloved grandmother who is fading in her world, Nettle makes a pact with the faery king. He'll heal her grandmother in exchange for Nettle completing three tasks. She agrees, not realising that deception lurks in this enchanted place, and that she has been tricked...

In this dangerous fantasy kingdom Nettle discovers, too late, her part in an age-old love story and the price she will pay.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness!  Nettle has just bagged a prime spot on my favourites shelf as this is a book I will read over and over again.  It really is THAT good.

I actually didn't realise that it was a YA book aimed at readers of age 12 and above as it has that timeless and ageless feel to it, much like my favourite book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  Just as I have done, readers of all ages will fall under Nettle's spell and remain captivated by this wonderful book that is surely destined to become a future classic.

It starts off very much like a faery tale with mesmerising lyrical prose that drew me immediately into Nettle's world.  Falling through her own version of Alice's rabbit hole, Nettle finds herself in the faery realm where she encounters a colourful cast of characters who both help and hinder her attempt to return home.  The story takes a darker turn as Nettle discovers the deceitfulness and trickery of the fae but it's never too dark or scary for younger readers.

I loved the little sprinklings of classic fairy tales throughout the book and I read so fast I probably missed some but I noticed nods to Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin.  Nettle isn't a retelling though, it's an original and highly imaginative story that is sure to enchant and delight every single person who picks it up.

Nettle is without doubt a strong contender for my book of the year as it's right up there with my favourite books of all time.  Prepare to be enchanted by Nettle; a very highly recommended, unforgettable and unmissable read.  An easy and well-deserved five stars.

I received a gifted paperback to take part in the Adventures With Words readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon