The imagery! What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL novel! Each line made the image in my head crisper and more elegant. The characters, the world, and just descriptions of everything bring life to this story.
Although the most general parts of this plot were pretty predictable, the author provided such an interesting setup and history to this novel that provided the plot a lot more suspense and cunningness that kept me on my toes. My favorite parts of this novel were the mysterious history of the whole world as well as the whole premise of these bird courts.
Overall this was a stunningly gorgeous read, but it felt like the first book of a series (which it is). So as much as I enjoyed it, I know the real story comes later. Ultimately, this was a beautiful setup for a series I will undoubtedly devour.

What’s the last random book you read? One you hadn’t heard of but thought, “Eh, it sounds good, let’s give it a shot.” Did you love it? I hope so. Because that was the situation surrounding me and The Raven and the Dove(plus, just LOOK at that stunning cover), but ‘love’ isn’t exactly the word I’d use to describe my feelings toward this book.

Look, I’ll totally admit that the whole concept of this book is really cool. I love the idea of a race of human-like beings with massive, beautiful wings that aren’t angels. It’s what first drew me to the book. Plus, I Loe the story of Tristan and Isolde, and since The Raven and the Dove is a retelling of that it’s safe to say I was pretty excited. And once I got into the book all these other really cool ideas started showing themselves. Floating islands in the sky? A mysterious world below? Different groups of people lining up with different types of birds? DRAGONS!? So many cool things that this book had going for it.

Here’s the thing. Cool ideas are great, but they’re only half the battle. Every awesome idea in the world means nothing if the proper execution isn’t there. And, well… for this book it just wasn’t there. Even worse, I was bored while reading more often than not. The characters didn’t hook me. I found their relationships and interactions to be simplistic, and ofter felt I was being told to feel one way or another about them. The romance was very insta-lovey and hollow. That awesome setting I mentioned? I wanted to see more. What was there was good, but more detail would have pushed it toward great.

It wasn’t all bad. I mean, I did finish the book so there’s that. There were a couple fun twists. The ending was exciting, and left a good cliffhanger for the sequel. Some of the action sequences were well-written and surprisingly gruesome. But those few things just weren’t enough for me. I can see where a lot of people would actually really enjoy this one. It’s a quick read with fun ideas and some fun moments. Honestly? Teenage me probably would have ate the whole thing up. But me now? It just never really lived up to it’s potential.

Okay, don’t cuff me even though I’m guilty as charged. I just looked at the cover of the book and pushed the request button without having any knowledge what this book was about, what the genre was, and what I was drinking at that time!

Yes, the cover was mesmerizing and hypnotizing gave me Alice in Wonderful effect. It whispered to my ear: ”Eat me”! Nope, wrong message. It said: “Choose me!” So I did and followed the rabbit. Guess what: there was no rabbit! My sister-in law resembled a rabbit when she was wearing her work suits (Oh, don’t be mad at me! She tells me meaner things like I’m disastrous cook and cruel person, Okay she is not wrong but this is not relevant!)

So we have protagonists carrying wings and the dragons in this story which already made me climb on my coffee table and started my hardly choreographed dance moves! (My neighbors canceled their movie reservations and decided to watch me because I was funnier than “Like a boss”movie)

So let’s get some quick analysis about this book:

-I mostly liked Lyana, our hot tempered, always her actions speak louder than her words kind of impatient, a little outrageous, vivid heroine. But at some parts, she acted like immature spoiled brat, made me wanna slap her several times or scream at her: “Grow the hell up”. She needed to gather het wits. And suddenly she started to like Rafael. It was as fast as LDC’s (as Brad Pitt mentioned)love life St. Tropez (as Taylor Swift mentioned at “Man” song) I kept asked myself: wait a minute! I didn’t expect something so slow-burn but we didn’t see the fire at all. When you click “insta love” on google, you may see this book’s cover which makes sense.

And Xander, you beautiful soul, I want to sing Smooth Criminal with new lyrics for you as like: Xander are you O.K.? Xander are you O.K.? Are you O.K. Xander?

The plot is also intriguing: Different houses come together to choose mates for ruling different kingdoms but he participants have to pass the tests by achieving some tasks. And Lyana has to choose her prince from “House of Whispers” ( Did I tell you that how much I loved the world building of this book! It is FANTASTIC!) But instead of real prince, she gets the prince’s bastard brother.
I already gave the romantic relationship which was a little weird for me because it was so fast and I didn’t notice the existence of chemistry between the couple. But the cliffhanger and twisty turn of the story intrigued me more and I wanted to read more because the author was really smart, original and her writing style is captivating. It didn’t bore me for a second. So yes, I want to read more and learn more about these characters’ upcoming adventures.

However the romance part failed for me, I liked the character development, unique, original world building, I loved supporting characters, especially Xander and also Cassie. The ending was heart throbbing and clever. Pacing was great: Not too slow to make you yawn or not to fast make you go back and read some parts to get the story. So I rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 and I will be so happy to read the sequels.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kaityln Davis for sharing this intriguing, brand new series’ ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.

Okay. I must admit that I didn't expect to like this book so much. But it worked for me. So, I can recommend it to everyone who wants to read book with amazing world-building, great characters and interesting romances. This one you should not miss.

This story is re-telling of Tristan and Isolde, which was (at least for me) fascinating when I read synopsis for the first time. But to be honest, this was much more better. Imagine fantasy world, with forbidden romance and betrayal. And all of this is based on concept of "bird people". I know, it probably sounds weird, but trust me, it's brilliant idea. People in The Raven and the Dove have wings and characteristics of various bird kinds (for example - owls. They have characteristics of predators, but they are as well patrons of wisdom).

As I mentioned before, characters in this book are great. I love how all or them are unpredictable and unique, especially in the end. And, the place of my most favourite character won Lyana, probably the most curious character I've ever seen, but also one really strong princess. And I do believe that her personality will be even better in book two.

I have never read book by Kaitlyn Davis, so I was not sure what to expect, but I'm not disappointed. It was average. Plot is gripping, funny and the more you read, the more you can see, how dark will be another part of this series. And I'm looking forward it.


Overall, good job, Kaitlyn Davis.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a romance centered story within an amazingly unique world. Set in a world where islands float high in the sky, magic is forbidden and people have wings, we have a great fantasy setting and interesting characters. 

We follow the mischevious Princess Lyana as she and the other Princes and Princesses in the Kingdom participate in mating games. Lyana is a free spirit but her whole life has been predetermined for her, and her willingness to escape the confines of her planned future drives the plot in an interesting direction. 

Lyana's fun and sassy friend Cassi is a great side character. She has interesting chapters from her perspective that reveal secrets and plots that are brilliant at adding suspense to the story and foreshadowing for the reader. 

The other two characters we follow are the identical half-brothers, Xander and Rafe. Xander is the crowned Prince of the House of Whispers, and has to sends his half brother into the mating games in his stead. However, Rafe has to pretend to be the Prince so that the true Princes' secret is not revealed. Xander is a lovely character whose heart is full of love for his people. Rafe is hot and broody. He is a bastard and disliked by most of the House of Whispers because when he was a child he survived when he shouldn't have. Xander and Rafe have a complicated dynamic and their relationship adds to the story. 

The world-building is interesting and unique and romance-driven. The plot could get a little infuriating at times when nothing ever goes right for the characters. This is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde,  but I am not familiar with it so I can't say for certain how close it is to the original. The story is full of cringe moments and missteps. There is enough thwarted romance and bad luck to fill many more books. 

This is the first book in a series called The Raven and the Dove, and the set-up for the next book was done well. I am anxious to see what happens to these characters and where this plot goes. 

Happy Reading !

Gizelle  ✨

I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review or rating in any way

There has been so much hype about this book on Bookstagram that I knew I was going to love it. Plus, who couldn't fall in love with a book with such a dreamy cover? The story created between all of the characters was hard to follow at first. I was confused as to who the boy was in the first chapter and things got even more confusing when characters were only referred to as birds. Another challenge I had reading was some drama for the sake of drama. Sometimes it can be hard to get through reading a section of a book where you are just screaming, "please just say what you know already and stop hiding it from everyone!" Unnecessary drama is one of my reading pet peeves. There are other ways to create conflict that seems more realistic. Despite these challenges, I really did enjoy the world-building in The Rave and The Dove. I loved the idea of forbidden magic and an almost bachelor-like plotline. Davis created a new world that I wouldn't mind being a part of and recommending to friends and students. The Raven and the Dove is perfect for fantasy fans and those of us who wish The Selection/The Bachelor had a bit more magic to it.


*I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Great storyline! Great characters and a great bit of worldbuilding.
Loved Rafe and Xander's characters. Got a bit fed up with Ana towards the end. Overall a good read

A very nice retelling. And the cover is beautiful! The story kept me very interested along the way. I was happy to see how the characters were mostly realistic. Although the instant love between Lyana and Rafe felt a tad unbelievable initially.

RATINGS :-
Plot : 3/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 4/5
OVERALL RATING : 4/5

Genre : Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

Date of Release: March, 2020

“This feeling that I was meant for something more. A yearning in my gut, a beating of my heart, sense that my destiny is bigger than what’s expected of me. ”
Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

A princess longing to be free…

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong…

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.


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The Raven and the Dove is a brand new gripping fantasy set in a world of supernatural creatures. The story revolves around a dove named Lyana , the princess of the House of Peace who saves Rafe, a raven and an illegitimate son of the late King of the House of Whispers from a dragon. During this course, both of them, unaware of each others’ true identity end up revealing their deepest secrets to each other. The story takes an unexpected yet great turn when Lyana and Rafe after knowing the truth behind their true identities are forced to stay away from each other. The dark conspiracies parallel to their story is quite remarkable as well!

The plot was really diverse and yet very gripping. It was quite charming on it’s own and did not have to depend on characters or any other elements to shine. I really was not expecting it to be one of those plot which would always keep me on my toes. But, I was proved wrong! The plot was extraordinary!

“Rafe had his answer- love was worth any cost. Even when it was a breif star shooting across the night sky, gone before he could even hold it for a moment. It was worth it.”
The characters were quite interesting as well. I liked the character developments throughout. It was quite smooth and well paced as well.

The writing style of Kaitlyn Davis really surprised me! I mean I did not have much high expectations as usually many cannot really pull off the whole fantasy genre. But, I was proved wrong! Kaitlyn Davis really blew me away! I really admire her writing! And I can’t wait to see more growth in her writing style now!
I would recommend The Raven and the Dove to all the lovers of fantasy with strong female leads and gripping politics and conspiracies!

Truth time. I requested this one because the cover made me laugh so hard. Rhysand and an average beautiful girl in a beautiful gown, I had to read that.
This book is not that bad but its not even good. Tristan and Isolde? Lamely.
It's so senselessly complicated, there's insta love thrown at your face, the romance is boring, the whole narrative looks so much like an infinite prologue of facts, things and introduction that it's all I hate in a fantasy book and if I ever read again the word MATE I'll throw up but I appreciated the discussion around disability, the world building was so so bad but it still, the whole story is very atmospheric. I don't know, it's obviously not a read for me but I see plenty of readers been attracted by it and love it.

I really enjoyed this one! Lyanna and Casi's friendship was great, as well as the relationship between the two brothers. After reading so many fantasy books, It was refreshing to have something new! I have never read a book like this where the characters have wings and are from different houses. The plot seemed a little slow at times, but overall, I liked it a lot!

DNF

The setup and characters aren't working for me, unfortunately. However, I will definitely give this author another shot in the future.

I devoured this book in two days. A page turner for sure and my only negative is that it ended and now I'll have to wait for the next book to read more of the amazing adventure the characters have taken me on.

From the very first page, I knew I was going to love this book and I wasn't wrong. The writing was superb, the world-building amazing, and the characters were so real. I could almost feel the wind ruffling my feathers and the longing Lyana had to escape and explore the world.

This is definitely a story that fans of Sarah J Maas will love. There are characters to root for and those that will shock you. I gasped out loud on numerous occasions as things weren't as they seemed. There is intrigue, adventure, danger, and more with every turn of the page and I felt as if I were part of the story.

Lyana is the princess and the main character but we get chapters from different characters too including Rafe, Xander, Cassi, and the twists and turns are so well done. The magic felt real as did every character.

Without giving any spoilers, I will say, be prepared for a very late night once you start reading this book because you won't be able to put it down.

Utterly devastating in parts, this is a story that will burrow its way into your heart and have you gasping, sighing, smiling, and more. A YA novel that is bound to soar high in 2020.

A big thank you to Netgalley and the author, Kaitlyn Davis for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Fantasy romance done right.

I got this book as an eARC from the author. The cover intrigued me most. There is the opposite of light and dark, the male and the female and obviously, the Avian people aspect of the story clearly present.

Eventually I started reading the book and oh, wow, what a treat this is. You are introduced into the world of the Avian people who reside in courts high up above the clouds in their own realms, untouched by whatever happens below the clouds. They have their own religion and their own ways of passing the rule onto their next generation.

As the story starts the next trials are just about to take place, where the youngsters just about coming into adulthood are to compete against each other and then get to choose a mate depending on where they placed themselves during the trials. We meet Lyana, princess of the Court of Peace, representing the doves and her best friend Cassi, an owl, who was found a long time ago and got accepted into the court due to Lyana insisting on it.

And Lyana we find out quite quickly is a strong minded young woman. She sets out with Cassi on one last adventure before she will be mated for life, and as so often, things happen.

We also meet Rafe and Xander, both of the raven Court of Whisper. They are bastard and crown prince and come from a court that has been very unsuccessful during the last couple of trials. They desperately need new blood and therefore a high score in the trials in order to be able to choose.

In this first book of a series that is currently outlined into 4 books, we are introduced into the world of the Avian people, get to know the main characters of this story and learn about their beliefs, their world and also the cracks that start to show when you start to scratch the surface.

The story in itself is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde and we meet starstruck lovers that just cannot come together. The romance in this book is well done. So very well done.

We also get all the inklings that the story is much broader and bigger than what it currently appears to be. And so, there is that, the promise of more, more adventures and heartbreak and maybe, in the end, a happy ending?

I utterly enjoyed this first part of the story and am already very much looking forward to the next instalment, as the author has chosen quite a few tropes that I am curious to see if she is able to avoid all the pitfalls that come with them.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.


This was a solid romantic, adventure fantasy jaunt.
It's got forbidden magic, a wild free-spirited princess, a bastard who is only trying to help win the best match for his people in place of his brother the real prince, who due to a minor deformity cannot compete in the courtship trials to the same degree.
Their people- Ravens from the House of Whispers have been left out of a true match from the trials for nearly generations, their mother, the first princess in ages to bring home a match from the House of Prey, who had a wandering eye. This is the cause for Rafe, the black mark on their family and people feels like he needs to do this for his brother, Xander. And win his people the highest match possible.

Lyanna is a princess of the Doves of the House of Peace, free spirited, with forbidden magic that would result in her immediate death if ever discovered. Hiding it from everyone for years. As a second princess, she knows she will leave her home after the courtship trials and become crown princess of another house, and eventually Queen. But she longs to know what's below their floating world, what lurks beyond the thick white mists. She longs for adventure.

A spy hidden in plain sight waits. Waits for the day very soon, that a sign will come and all will be revealed. That will show that that Lyanna is the Queen who was prophesied to save the world below the mists. They will set things into motion when the time is right. And all will be revealed.

A ruthless King below the mists waits for the day when the queen who will come, will finally be his.

Solid world building, the bird people are a really cool premise. I like a good prophecy. While I feel like Rafe is a little better developed emotionally than Lyanna, I'm sure we'll see a lot more development from her character in the next book. There's a lot she didn't sign up for, and she's going to be pretty angry about it.

4.5* - eARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

I actually don’t have a whole lot to say other than that I really enjoyed it. It was a really easy read, a unique and interesting retelling of Tristan and Isolde. A love story. A betrayal. A tragedy. All as you would expect but all with a distinctive and compelling avian twist. The characters were likeable, the plot was intriguing and the pace was spot on, the pages literally flew by.

My only criticism, which is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, is that the author had a tendency to repeat things in patterns of three. The fact that I picked up on it meant it was slightly annoying. But otherwise, it’s well worth a read if you like YA fantasy with star crossed lovers. Oh and there’s dragons!

A princess longing to be free...

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong...

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart...

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.- Goodreads

I am not going to lie. I picked up this book for the cover. Seeing and reading about a Black fairy is huge (even though there were some suspicious scenes in the book). I enjoyed this cover and seeing this Black fairy do her thing. 

With that being said. . . this book wasn't for me. NOT because there was actually anything wrong with the book. It played on the cliche of a love triangle, forbidden love, betrayals a bit too much and what I meant by that is nothing was brought to this long worn table; it was just with dragons and faeries as opposed to humans. 

However, with that being said the world building in this novel was great and the author did a fantastic job with pace, details and creating the romance.  While I see others completing enjoying it what caused me to lose interest was Rafe. How and why Lyana feel in love with him I will never know. He had no personality. If it had nothing to do with his brother he didn't want anything to do with it. I liked the young king and his part in the story but I couldn't stand Rafe.

Overall, there are a lot of people that are going to flock over this book. My thing is if you are going to do the same trope, do something new. 

2 Pickles

If you were to ask me my favorite genre, I would blink at you like an owl with a bemused expression for a solid minute. That being said, if I sit back and think about it, I can get very specific. My absolute favorite stories are dark-ish epic (or new adult) fantasy / fairy tale retelling. Opening this book was like feeding a vice. I read the whole thing in one sitting, in one day. No small feat considering the book is pretty hefty. Totally worth it. I regret nothing. 

Tristan and Isolde is not a common tale to retell in a fantasy setting. It is, perhaps, more tragic than most. That being said, this story is AMAZING. Caps lock justified. I promise. The world building is fantastic. The characters are complex and multilayered. The plot is developing. I am 100% here for all of it. 

This book is the first in a new series. The ending of this individual book is absolutely unsatisfying; that is kind of the point though. If you cannot handle cliff hangers, fantasy, before the whole series is out, is probably not for you. This is no exception. However, if, like me, it doesn't bother you a bit to read them as they come out, because you are going to read the series five or six times anyway, grab it. Immediately. May I suggest a pre-order.

The characters in this story are exquisitely crafted. They are complex, they make mistakes, they celebrate victories, they feel real. My favorite character is Xander, the Raven Crown Prince. While I understand Lyana's disappointment, I absolutely could not share it. Xander is husband material. For Sure. 

I am hardcore in love with this world. I cannot wait  to read the rest of the series! 

This was my first Kaitlyn Davis, but it will not be my last. I have an entire back catalog to read. YAY!

I freaking LOVED this book and am currently dead over that ending. Yes, this is my ghost giving you this review from the afterlife because I need to screech about this incredible story that you all need to read as soon as possible.

Lyana is the daughter of the doves and she is strong and capable and a total badass. I adore her. She's the best and she just wants a life of happiness and real love. But she has a magic that her people think is a mark of evil, so she must hide a part of herself that she wishes she could embrace.

Rafe is a bastard son of the ravens, and he too possesses magic. His half brother, Xander, the crown prince, is the only one who knows about him, and he has to keep it that way, for he is not loved by his people as Lyana is by hers.

Together, the two of them could be happy, they could share their secrets and be themselves with the one person they knew without a doubt could love every part of them. BUT, after the tournament to determine who would marry who, Lyana finds herself tied to Xander, the brother of the raven she thought she was choosing.

Xander is a kind brother and a good prince. He cares deeply about his people and loves his books. He just wants to keep everyone happy, and though Lyana didn't mean to choose him, he wants to try and find happiness with her. He doesn't believe his brother would come between them, because he trusts them both. He wants to believe the best in them.

And then there's Cassi, the master spy who has been living with the doves and plans to bring about the fall of them all, working for a king in another world to take Lyana from the ones she loves and froce her to fulfill and prophecy Cassi believes will make everything better.

These four characters are going to change their world and I love them all, but they also kill me because I want them all to be happy and the end of this book absolutely DESTROYED me and now I can't wait for the next book in this incredible new series! You definitely do not want to miss out on this one.

This retelling of Tristan and Isolde is well written with some fun world building. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with the characters very well, so the story fell flat for me.