The Raven and the Dove is more than just a beautiful cover. It's a beautiful read. It's incredibly magical. And it's a definite can't-miss.

• Magically infused
• Retelling
• Diverse
• Swoon-worthy
• Excellent leads
• Fate works in mysterious ways
• Gorgeous cover

Rating: ★★★★★         

As always, a copy of this book was provided by the authors in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. 

I'm sure approximately nobody is shocked that I positively adored The Raven and the Dove. But, I adored this book with every fiber of my being. It's continuing on with the fact that, so far, 2020's been consistently giving us so many fantastic YA fantasy novels. Kaitlyn Davis wows with this one. The Raven and the Dove is a completely engrossing tale that proves to be impossible to put down; I loved every page and cannot wait for the next installment.

When it comes to fantasy, in particular retellings, I'm very keen on many things. I like a specific kind of strength. A little angst. A lot of action. Some banter. A solid romance or connection of any kind. In many ways, The Raven and the Dove encompassed a lot of my favourite YA tropes. (In other ways, I felt a little underwhelmed, but nothing that made the novel less than enthralling.)

There is a lot of good to be noted in this beautifully crafted Tristan and Isolde retelling. Mostly, what readers need to know, is that this book is truly a blast. I had so much fun reading it and bounced around through emotions from start to finish. You don't need to know much about the original story it's re-imagining, but you might want to become acquainted with the general idea. The story, regardless, feels familiar and new all at once.

For me, this was a serious hit. The perfect start to a new and compelling series. It hooks you from the start, never loosens its hold, and leaves you on an achingly brutal "I need to know what happens next" end note. As I flipped through the pages, I felt that breathless type of exhilaration that doesn't always come about in books--so much was happening, the prose took on this addictive quality to it.

The Raven and the Dove's biggest strengths lay not merely in the romance, but in the characters themselves and the worldbuilding that Kaitlyn Davis ran with. I loved each of the characters. No, really. LITERALLY. All. Of. Them. I loved the settings. The magic. The world itself. Learning about it was like a dream.

And, most importantly, Davis writes each in a way that makes me devour it in seemingly no time at all. While the romance of The Raven and the Dove won't always work for its audience, the striking ways in which everything else is written in this story is its real pulse. Davis has a way with her words and it's so, so magical.

The Raven and the Dove is the type of book you start in the daylight and suddenly you've spent the whole day reading. It kind of reminded me of those YA novels of previous eras--it had that electricity to it that reminds you why we read to begin with. The Raven and the Dove is deliriously beautiful, intriguing and will surely attract a loyal fanbase.

"What did it look like?" 

"Fire and fury," she said, not sure how else to describe the dragon. "Like a star that had fallen from the sky and gained wings. When it roared, I swear the clouds trembled." 



"Playing the heir means you don't have the privilege of a break." 


"We're the casualties of a war we have no choice but to win."

Blog Tour: 

March 9th

March 10th

March 11th

March 12th

March 13th

March 14th

March 15th