DNF @ 50%

I unfortunately could not make myself finish this book. I tried to pursue as long as I could, but I think I had to face up to the fact that this book simply isn't for me.

There were a lot of aspects to this story that I simply wasn't enjoying. I think the most notable was the world-building, which was pitiful. I found myself so confused in the beginning and in need of some exposition (which by the way, I NEVER find myself saying). The author throws out terminology/jargon created in the context of their world, but never really gives it any meaning. (i.e. using words like 'Other' or 'Underworld' but not really explaining what it is or the characters relationship with it.

There isn't even a good amount of dialogue in the story that properly explains what the main character is!! You really have to be patient and wait for tidbits of information to piece it together yourself. I was personally so confused for a long time. The characters magical abilities, what it means to be a shifter and an Other was the most confusing. I found the latter was not explained well, if at all in the beginning. Shifter is pretty straightforward but it seems particularly unique here and I think required some attention.

I'm not a huge reader of paranormal, urban fantasies or fae stories either, so that could potentially factor into my confusion? But I honestly think that exposition about the character and her family needed more attention and to be clearer. I think I would've been able to finish this novel if I wasn't so confused and frustrated with it.

Conspiracy of Ravens follows our main character Raven Crawford who is adopted by a family of Fox shifters but is actually half fae herself. Her twin brother Bear steals an artefact from the fae so Raven is roped into spending time with Cole to find him and the item that’s missing.

I enjoyed this book, there were elements I liked and disliked. I liked ravens family dynamic and found the action scenes satisfying. I thought the quotes at the start of every chapter where quirky and funny. When Raven shifted I thought this was explained well in detail and it was easy to picture in your mind.
I just would have preferred the romance to be more slow burn rather than instant attraction.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sending me this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I have been sitting on this review for about a week; processing my thoughts about how I feel about this book. I am at the bother of saying that this book is okay and that I didn't like this book. If nothing else, I can say that I didn't like Raven. She didn't put in any real work to become a better person and investigator. She was loud for no reason, lacked drive and put her foot in her mouth more than once.

The romance in the novel was a stretch. The only way I could describe it is it was lust but I am not even sure if that was the proper term. It felt forced and not natural by any means and I am so glad the author didn't rely on it to keep the book moving.

There was something I did like and that was Raven's family. Every time there was an interaction with them, I smiled. I enjoyed reading them so much and I honestly felt the author had a good time writing them as well.

Overall, I am going to go with the book is okay. Maybe it isn't for me as opposed to it being a problematic book.

I really enjoyed the openness of "Others" mixed in with the ordinary world. I wish there would have been more on the growing discontent with regular folks wanting to close their world to "Others." The growing movement against those with supernatural abilities was mentioned in passing a few times, but it could have been expanded upon a bit more. Hopefully future installments will flesh this out more and add to the tension. The ending felt rushed compared to the rest of the plot's pacing, and felt a little anti-climatic and a bit corny. The snark was initially funny but became tiresome about halfway through. Despite these things, I did enjoy learning about Raven and especially her family, which provided a lot of comic relief throughout the story.

I received a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

This book was a fun mashup of different beliefs, deities, and the idea that scientists screwed up and brought about magic (Because they couldn’t think of a better name) in the world through physics.

Raven and her twin are shifters, but not the garden variety foxes like their half siblings. In a world of magic and strangeness, the still feel odd, with no link to their mysterious father.
The family business is investigations, so when something is stolen, they’re hired to track the thief down and get it back. Too bad it’s her brawny idiot twin.

But, chaos ensues, and they discover their father. I found that part delightfully trippy trying to determine the lineage on that one, but it played an important role in the end of the book and I really liked it. In all, this was a great start to the series and I look forward to the next one. And, I totally agree with the list of pet peeves!!

Raven Crawford wants no dealings with the fae or the Underworld, but things change when her twin brother, Bear, suddenly turns up missing. With two fae lords demanding his whereabouts, Raven knows something bad has went down. That becomes even more clear when she learns he's stolen a very important artifact. Raven has to get to him before it's too late.

Although she has grown up in a fox shifter family, Raven and her twin are something much different. Keeping their identities and abilities secret has been paramount up until now. With two strangers tailing her, Raven must decide which one she can trust. Cole is the better option of the two, but Raven knows when it comes down to it, it's always going to be "twins before wins", as her brother says.

First off, the cover of author J.C. McKenzie's CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS is bad *ss! CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS is the first novel in Ms. McKenzie's RAVEN CRAWFORD series. I love that it's so different from other paranormal out there. The fact that Raven can turn into multiple ravens is so unique in the shifter genre. Raven is resilient for sure. I love that although she's falling for Cole, she holds onto her own independence and values. I really enjoyed book one and cannot wait to see where she goes next. Paranormal/urban fantasy fans looking for something new and exciting, look no further than Ms. McKenzie's CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS.

I think the first thing I have to talk about is that I think this cover is amazing and was 100% the reason why I was drawn to this book. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but I always break that rule. When it came to 'Conspiracy or Ravens' the cover really did do this book justice.

Going into this book, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I didn't think that it was going to be as funny as it was, but I'm so happy about it. Raven was such a great character and I loved the way she handled every situation that was throne at her. From the first couple pages I loved her.

This book was fun and the romance was great. I pretty much read this in about one sitting and have no regrets.

What's not to enjoy in Conspiracy of Ravens. It had everything I love to read about. Magic, mystery and mayhem with fae, mythology and lots of steamy chemistry.

Ravin and her twin brother grew up in a family of fox shifters. The family has helped both Ravin and her brother hide their true nature, they are actually 1/2 fae. There mother has had them hid their heritage their entire lives.

Raven's twin goes missing and very powerful fae come to Raven and her family to entice, threaten and/or even force them to find him and the treasure he stole.

Strong storytelling, undeniable chemistry and a great family dynamic makes Conspiracy of Ravens another urban fantasy series I will have to follow.

I received this ARC copy of Conspiracy of Ravens from J. C. McKenzie. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really liked this book. It had strong characters and an unusual story. I like the idea of twins with one good and the other a challenge. I also like the snark factor. Gotta have snark. I will eagerly await the next in the series.

Blurb:
Raven Crawford knows better than to venture into the seductive world of the dark fae or agree to any of their salacious promises. She plans to pay off her debts so she can get on with her life and stay far away from the denizens of the Underworld.

Unfortunately, her numbskull twin steals from the most tempting and lethal fae of them all. Now, Raven must help the Lord of Shadows get back what her idiot brother stole. Her only weapons? Just a little ingenuity and a whole lot of snark. It’s suicide for sure, but she’ll do anything to protect her twin,

My Thoughts:
this urban dystopian fantasy is fast paced and full of edge of your seat suspense, heart pounding excitement and a whole host of characters that I am sure you will come to enjoy, I love to read about. Magic, mystery and mayhem with fae, mythology and lots of sexy chemistry and this story provide that.

Raven is half-fae and also a twin. She is known to her family and friends as the "good twin" to her bad brother, Bear. Bear has always been a magnet for trouble. And after Bear goes missing, trouble comes knocking. His trouble then suddenly zeros in on her when she tries to find her missing brother. Trouble also has a handsome face and name- Cole (aka Tall Dark and Dangerous). But the problem is that he's trying to find Bear too...

What I like most is the author kept the book unique. I love the comradery of Raven's family. This was a mash-up of Fae and Viking mythology placed in Canada. I had a lot of fun reading this novel. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #NetGalley

This is a new to me author and ve come away with mixed feelings. On the one hand I really liked the bones of the story, world and characters. Unfortunately there were several problems for me. The pacing was off, it was a really slow start. The world building needed more, in that we the reader needed some more background, but with fewer info dumps. And really the info dump at 78% was bizarre. Lastly, the story kept getting bogged down with the constant ogling and sex. I'm a romance reader, but it as like there was a quota on it or something. All in all I will definitely look for the next in the series and hope for improvement.

I'm back with another great read.  It seems right now the Fantasy books are just what I'm craving more than anything else.  And this one had me enjoying every moment.  First off, this book is not for younger readers, as sex is present in this story.  Please be advised.

Now, Raven, the main protagonist, is not a model or perfect.  She is, however, very real and very flawed.  For once, I enjoyed the fact that we did not get the perfect main character.  We got to learn and grow with her, fight through her fears.

We also see some great family dynamics and 'bacon'!  Why doesn't love bacon?

The world was well thought out and we only got to learn as much as Raven needs to know at any given time, so there was no info-dumping or overloading.  I enjoyed seeing a different take on the 'heaven' and 'earth' and 'hell' scenario that we see so much of.

The plot had me guessing at a lot of things, and most of it only fell into place at the last bit, which suited me just fine.  Having kept me guessing, I liked seeing how this story played out. 

Also, there was a great romance in this book.  I don't want to spoil anything, but you'll enjoy seeing the relationship growth in this one... 

In Short

A great world I want to learn even more of.
Raven was sassy and broken and strong.  Also, #familygoals here!
There is so much more to read here, I'm sure of it...

Raven Crawford and her brother Bear are twins. Bear is on the run from the others Dark Fae. Cole is the Lord of the shadows she does not know if she can trust him in the search for her brother but she is so drawn to him (TDD) tall dark and dangerous. Raven is working nights at a run down diner to pay off her ex’s debts. Her life is going to get so much more interesting when she learns what her past has been hiding. You will enjoy the developing hot relationship with Cole which is just going to get hotter in the next book.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

We meet Raven Crawford, the main character of this book working at a job she hates, down on her luck and saddled with her ex’s debts. All this seems frivolous when the power hitters of the otherworldly/fae realms start calling on her looking for her brother.

I always enjoy a grumpy heroine and Raven had good snark and did not have the sense to be rightfully curled up under a table which is always fun in a heroine. Raven also had sizzling chemistry with Cole and I enjoyed their interactions. The other secondary characters were also quite well drawn and I especially look forward to finding out more about Bear.

The mystery in this book was quite compelling and I rather enjoyed the jumble of mythologies as it broadens the possibilities for future books. That said, I would have preferred slightly more information about the world earlier on the book. I found the pacing rather uneven throughout the book and it was a bit of a slow start. However, overall this book was fairly enjoyable.

My first read from J.C. McKenzie - I will definitely keep an eye out for the series to continue. The book takes place in an alternate world where realms between worlds have broken and fae can cross into the Mortal Realm. Raven, a half "Other", gets caught up in her brother's highjinks when he steals from the wrong person. Add in a couple dark fae, some interesting powers, and funny family dynamics and you've got a pretty unusual book.

It took a little bit to build up but I enjoyed the ending. Raven is extremely interesting and I’m eager to see her growth, both as a person and in her powers. Obviously, she is not what she seems in the beginning. I’d like a bit more world building and background context - McKenzie makes some assumptions without actually sharing context.

Raven is left in debt by an ex and must work days in her family business and as a waitress at night. People assume she is a shifter, like her family. They are unaware of her heritage, as is she. The Lord of Shadows offers protection and seeks assistance. They are combustible together. I immensely enjoyed this fantasy into the paranormal world. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story line had an interesting concept and while I muddled through the read I found myself struggling to stay interested in Raven and her story. I'm not sure if it was her characterization or what but I just couldn't relate or become invested in her or her journey. Writing that was decent and the more sexual encounters are really the only thing things that kept me turning pages.

This book was awesome. Loved the sexual tension & steamy make out sessions. I loved the fae aspects last well. And I always love anything with supernatural characters. Raven is a tired overworked person who was taken advantage of by her ex. Now strapped down with a huge loan she spends her days working 2 jobs trying to scrape by. She is also a little ignorant at times & over thinks things! Her twin brother, Bear is an angry person. He only thinks of himself. He stole something from the fae. And no one can find him. Raven is desperate to find him before everyone else. She may be his only shot at staying alive! The following is a message for the Author/publisher only. I found some mistakes I thought you might want to correct for your readers. I read this book on my Kindle. Location 147; A shiver ran along Raven’s spine as she took in the late-night patron. (late-night should be late night). Location 1158; A black and white goat stood a few feet away, stared and them and chewed something in its mouth. (and should be at). Location 2102; She turned to Mike and he shook his head as well. She put the gum away. (Mike should be Marcus). Location 2359;“They’re guarded well. 0” (0 should be deleted). Location 2830; The woman pursed her lips ad continued to appraise Raven (ad should be and). Location 4184; Mike groaned load enough to drown out the rest of Juni’s adjectives. (load should be long).

From the author's note to the epilogue with a promise of more, this book captured my attention! The author has a way with words that makes you stay up to the wee hours of the morning just so you can experience the story without a single solitary break. I truly can't pinpoint an instance within this book where I wanted to put it down - I just kept reading until I was finished. This is the first book I've read by J.C. McKenzie, and it's a shame that I did not find her sooner.

Lord of Shadows, Master of Darkness, Patron Fae of Assassins...but you can just call him Cole. That's who walks into the diner and immediately sets off alarm bells in Raven Crawford's mind. He is looking for her wayward twin brother, Bear, and there is no way she is going to help him. But soon more fae appear, and each is more deadly than the last. Cole becomes the one person who seems intent on keeping Raven safe, even if it is for a selfish purpose. What started off as a battle of wills is now a race of survival, not only for Raven but for her entire family.

Cole...*sigh*...I really fell hard for this TDD man. He was hard to read at first, because he appeared as a bad guy but soon became Raven's protector instead. It was confusing, intriguing, and alluring. He drew me in with his mysterious smile and his sheltering shadows, and I found myself rooting for him to seduce Raven and for her to fall for him. Raven was a really strong character with an instinctive loyalty to her family and a desire to learn more about her past. She never knew her biological father, and when this story reveals it, it's a huge shock. I loved the mythology the author wove into the story as well, making everything appear both fantasy and realistic. You could almost believe this could happen in real life, and that makes it all the more appealing.

I can't wait for the second book! It's going to be amazing to see Cole again, and I hope we get to see more of Raven's family as well.