Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove is a unique YA fantasy set in an alternate medieval India. Katyani is a royal bodyguard who has been magically bonded to the queen of Chandela from a young age. After a series of assassination attempts threatens the royal family, Katyani is charged with escorting the princes to a famed academy to secure their safety. But when they are suddenly called home and tragedy strikes, Katyani’s life is upended. She must contend with her past in order to determine her future.

This book was such a pleasant surprise! The beginning was a tad slow, but it establishes Katyani’s character and her relationships with the rest of the royal family. She is a strong main character, and the setting is unique and fairly well-developed. I also enjoyed how unpredictable the plot was, although I did feel that a couple of the twists were fairly obvious.

However, as much as I enjoyed the story and appreciate that this is a stand-alone, I almost feel like this would’ve been better as a duology. There was a lot here, plot-wise, and it may have benefited from being split up so some of the story beats and revelations had time to breathe. I also didn’t love how anachronistic the writing was at times. There were some more modern turns of phrase that really took me out of the story.

Overall, this is an engaging, fast-paced story that will appeal to a lot of readers, especially those looking for more unique fantasy.

3.5 stars rounded up

I was pretty entertained by this story, with the magical creatures and various twists throughout the book, it just took me a little bit to get there. The beginning quarter or so seemed slow and I wasn't quite sure where it was going. Then you're hit with a lot of action and want to fly through the chapters to see what Katyani will do next. Around three-quarters in, there's another, smaller lull, then action through the end. If the pacing had been more stable and built up, I think I would have enjoyed this more.

There were a few times that I did not see things coming and that's always a plus. Mehrotra really kept me on my toes after the first surprise and I was excited for what would happen next. I also felt bad for Katyani and how much she suffered throughout this. She's the victim again and again and keeps standing back up and fighting for what's right. I always appreciate a strong character who fights back.

This is labeled as the first book in a series, but wraps up well with no cliffhangers. Maybe the sequel will follow a different main character?

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.
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I finished this book absolutely DESPERATE to go back to India. The atmosphere and the culture woven in is absolutely incredible!

Katyani is a badass main character, trained to protect her foster siblings, who are royalty. She's funny, smart and talented without being annoying (a hard line to walk!!) She also has an incredible romance - their first kiss literally made me gasp out loud. You will all understand.

The ending wrapped up really nicely, but I would love to read more in this world. The plot was fast-paced, the world was excellent, and I loved it!

The first half of this book was a five star read for me. I loved the twists and turns! However, the second half contained a couple of scenes that I found odd and I grew tired of the constant monsters and mythology woven into the story. Overall, a solid read though.

This book started out pretty great. It was full of action, the characters were interesting the the descriptions of the places, food and monsters were very detailed. But then the story started to go all over the place and it never really recovered.

For starters, the main character, Katyani is a BRAT. She is annoying, frustrating, funny, sarcastic, flirty and a general pain in the butt. She really had my emotions going crazy and I loved it. I’ve said in other reviews that I don’t always want to like the main characters because to me, that isn’t realistic. I don’t like everyone irl so it makes sense to not like every main character. I did not like Katyani and she got on my nerves, mainly because I did not understand how she still had any live for the kingdom of Chandela whatsoever. When you read the book, you will understand why I say this, I refuse to spoil it. So many of her actions were for the royal family and I just didn’t get it.

My biggest frustration with the book is one HUGE plot point involving Katyani’s soul bond that is never resolved. When I got to the end of the book, I was so mad that it was never really explained, at least not in a way that gave me some closure on that issue.

I would love for the author to write a book solely about the gurukul and the curse of the daayan, one of the monsters in the book. That part of the story was really interesting and I would read a more fleshed out story about what happened between Acharya Mahavir and the daayan.

All in all, the book was a decent read but left too many things unresolved for me.

4 1/2 stars

I'm not sure how to give this book a proper review. It was such a pleasure to read and listen to. The author pulled off something that is challenging at best - - world building while still keeping the storyline moving at full force with action and entertainment. There never felt like a moment when I wasn't absorbed in this story.

This book had so much of what I love - - a strong heroine, monsters, a love interest and some clever twists. The romance was a bit of a slow burn for me, but that's personal preference. The character development was done extremely well and you really felt as if you knew each one. The world that the author created was inventive and unique. It all flowed well and nothing felt out of place. It was a well thought out plot and everything truly flowed.

In addition to receiving an early copy of the ebook to read and review, I was also fortunate enough to receive an audiobook for review. The audio was really entertaining and fun to listen to as well. There was so much going on that at times I did struggle a bit more with the audio than the ebook to keep up with the characters and events. I guess in those situations, it's easier when things are written out. For that reason, I'm giving the audiobook 4 stars while I'll give the book itself 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for both advanced copies. I chose to read/listen and review them and the opinions contained within are my own.

I found myself only 35% into this book and already so many things had transpired. At first I thought things were rushed, as if I had started in the middle of the story and was a little lost, but I found that this was not the case. The beginning was just a quick buildup to set up the true story. There was plenty of action, magic and even an almost enemies to lovers style romance. However, the romance was not completely enemies to lovers, more like we irritate each other then fall in love but still irritate each other. Our main character, Katyani, was relatable to me personally. I do understand she might not be to everyone, but I enjoyed her straightforward and often funny attitude.

We meet a cast of magical and otherworldly creatures that inhabit this world. These creatures are portrayed as bad and beings to be avoided. However, as the story progresses mindsets shift as secrets and truths come to light. Also, Katyani has quite the steamy encounter with one being. If you read this, let me know what you think of this detail.

I found myself enjoying this story more and more as I dived deeper into it. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy. My only regret is that unfortunately I believe it is a stand alone. I hate that we have such amazing world building to not revisit it further and I feel like there were some things that could have been explored in more detail. I will read more from this author though in hopes that everything they write is just as entertaining to read.

I did receive the opportunity to review this from Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

The only disappointing thing about this book is that it ended.

I would LOVE to see this book turned into a series!

So, the first 25 pages or so, I wasn’t hooked. I couldn’t get into it at all. I didn’t love Katya (she seemed pretty immature). However, then they travel to the center for learning, and the story really picked up. I couldn’t put it down! Her personality really bloomed during that time. She was funny and courageous. Plus, her and Daksh together? The chemistry was off the charts.

I wish there had been more world-building! Their world is SO rich, with so many different components. I think that’s why I wish this was a series—the author tries to incorporate everything from this world that sometimes, it felt a little rushed/things weren’t explained as well as they could have been.

With all of that being said, I look forward to seeing more of this author in the future. They brought a fresh story into the world of YA fantasy. I highly recommend picking it up if you love YA fantasy!

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC! My review is live on Goodreads.

This is a hard review for me to write because on the one hand I was so intrigued by the premise - medieval-Indian-inspired setting, fierce female MC, monsters, magic and romance - but on the other hand, the execution of this story did not live up to my expectations.

I enjoyed the beginning of Katya's story well enough, but I quickly realized that the language and writing style were not for me. For an upper-YA novel, the writing felt somewhat juvenile, with characters using very modern language and phrases. Sadly, because of this, I was not able to really connect with the story and the characters.

I think the plot has potential, but after it took me almost a month to get to 22%, I knew it was time to put this one down.

I really wanted to like this one - the cover is GORGEOUS - but unfortunately, the writing and pacing of the story didn't hold my attention long enough to want to finish.

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove took a while for me to get into, but once I was, I didn't want to stop reading. It is full of royal politics, betrayal, self-discovery, and some strong characters. I felt that Katyani was a strong character from the beginning, but she still grew with each challenge she faced throughout the book. I liked that Indian mythological creatures were featured in the world, and it made me want to find more Indian mythology.

The only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is because of the romance. I liked that it wasn't the sole focus; however, I wanted more. It was a decent slow burn, but I felt like something was missing.

I recommend Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove to fantasy and mythology fans. I look forward to reading more from Rati Mehrotra and hope there is more set in the Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove world.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove is a fast-paced epic fantasy that brings readers into a world of magic and monsters (some of whom are closer to home than protagonist Katyani might like). With lush world building and thoughtful questions about what makes a family and identity, this one is sure to be a hit with fantasy fans.

From the opening pages, I was invested in Katyani and her adventures. She's positioned in the Chandela royal family for success, trained as a body guard, adopted as a daughter, expected to be an advisor and confidant for the future king. She has it all, but she's always cognizant of her blessings, always fiercely loyal to her family. So when things start to fall apart for her, it's a blow to the reader's heart as much as Katyani's.

I loved watching her journey, even as the threads of the stories began to go in a million directions to weave a complex tapestry. Katyani has to learn self-discipline at a gurukul, learn to fight monsters (and I loved the way monsters just are in this world, as cats and zebras and pandas just are in our world), learn her true heritage, and learn who is truly her friend. The tasks are often incredibly difficult, but she handles them with humor and heart, unwilling to be broken until she finds the love and the acceptance she craves.

Her tasks take her around a world richly imagined that author Rati Mehrotra manages to make feel large, even as she focuses on a few key locations. Katyani journeys from her palace to the gurukul to another kingdom, and is friends with the royal family in another. Readers see the world through her eyes as she learns about new monsters and new political intrigue, and it's always a pleasure.

I had a few minor gripes with the book: Katyani often uses some strangely modern colloquial language that jolted me out of the story a few times, and I thought the romance took a while to actually become convincing. But these are small matters.

Overall, this is a fabulously immersive story I fully expect to see on a lot of readers' "best of 2022" lists.

An easy, stunning, absolutely enjoyable 5 stars!

This book is a mix of mythology, political intrigue, romance, first loves, and so much more!! The magic throughout the story plays such a powerful role in both the journey of the characters and the reader.
Mehrotra's writing is perfectly paced, delivering on so many payouts while keeping readers guessing what will come next.
The representation of Indian culture was stunning, and from an outsider perspective I felt that I could be fully immersed through the world with the spirits, the food, and the setting.
Katyani gives everything YA protagonists need, and the way her humor floats off the page along with her voice and strength is just absolutely amazing,
Of course, Daksh is such a gem (in the grumpiest way) and the absolute YEARNING taking place was perfectly paced to add to the story while not detracting from the high intensity of the world and everything going on.
Finally, this book really drove me to think in intrsopectively about family, morality, and life as a whole. These characters have so much wisdom and passion to share.
Overall, this is an absolute must read for any fans of slowburn YA, Fantasy worlds, and books that linger with you.

Wow! What a unique fantasy world with a strong female lead!

I adored jumping into this lush world based on Indian mythology, which was entirely unfamiliar to me. Cultures outside of my own fascinate me, and so this story was a treat!

There was a sufficient amount of worldbuilding - I felt like I could see the surroundings and visualize the people and creatures. The glossary was also very helpful in this (again, remember that I knew nothing about the spiritual beliefs and mythology). I almost wish there was a map, because I didn't understand for a while that some of the words I thought were physical places actually referred to the dynasties ruling those places (ie Paramara vs Malwa). It got confusing when I thought the characters were referring to two separate states/countries/empires.

Katyani was a great character to follow! For one, she was 18 years old and acted like it. She was still young and sometimes ignorant. She was also very sassy and teased those around her constantly, which made me laugh a couple times. Ayan was a good side character, and the Acharya was solidly both crotchety and wise. One of my main complaints is that I felt like both Bhairav and Daksh were not fleshed out enough.

The romance was not my favorite, mainly because I felt like there was great build up at the beginning, and then there was a jump forward in time. During this part we as the readers didn't get to see, it was implied that the characters grew to like each other. This made the romance feel slightly off to me for the rest of the book.

And finally, the plot. I honestly wasn't surprised by any of the major plot movements, which disappointed me a little. It felt like I could see the twists coming looooong before they happened. However, I still really enjoyed the adventure and the world of Bharat, so it didn't take away from my appreciation for the book. Just be warned that this book isn't very mysterious or shocking. :)

Overall, I was thrilled with Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove! One of my favorite things was the theme of balance throughout. Everything had a price, and it was really interesting that even 'bad' spirits respected bargains and trades. (Really, I could go on about how interesting certain interactions with the spirits were to me!) The strong moral and spiritual themes added a lot of depth and thoughtfulness to this book as well. I would 100% read again and recommend if you're looking for a cultural, adventurous fantasy book to read!

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book.***

I loved this book and could not put it down. I really enjoyed the writing and the characters and could not get enough!

This book really hit me in my feelings. It’s got a lot of family ties and other bonds that are explored. Where does loyalty come from? What binds us? What breaks us? What cannot be broken? They’re all questions that are answered in this book. For honesty’s sake, I did not see where this book was going–it well and truly surprised me. It made me think deeper on the themes in this book in a way that was an assessment of myself. It’s got all the range of emotions, but I won’t say more than that so it’s not spoiled.

The scenery was visceral in a way that made you think you could almost smell the night-blooming jasmine. The descriptions were breathtaking. The feelings were real–not hollow or barely touched on as in some other books. I felt fully immersed in the lore of the book which relies heavily on Indian culture (demons, gods, beliefs, etc).

Katyani was taken in by the Queen when she was a very small child after the Queen saved her life. Because of this, they are bound in an integral way by love, devotion, and magic (a soul bond). Katyani is raised beside the princes and princess, learning to fight and be a royal guard to those she loves the most. The palace keeps getting attacked and war between the nations looks imminent. The Queen sends Katyani and the princes, Ayan and Bhairav, to learn about the ethics of war and fighting from the greatest (and most neutral) teacher of the times, Acharya Mahaver. Of course, there are demons and bad guys along the way.

Read it. You won’t be sorry. The book feels whole in a way some books never achieve. This book ties up loose ends and leaves you no unanswered questions.

This reminds me of something I would have read in high school: not super deep or compelling but cute.

It felt a lot longer than 300-ish pages. I don’t know if it was slow or if I wasn’t really that engaged with it. So much plot happened that I feel like I’m just missing something.

The miscommunication trope was frustrating not not in a fun way. I kept wanting to strangle the main character for not saying what she means just for her to want to strangle the love interest for not saying what he means. Like, child, no. Lol. I think that just means I’m not the target audience. This is very firmly YA in my opinion.

So much happens in this book! I wavered a bit between 3.5 and 4 stars but I’ll settle at 4 for now. There were a lot of things I liked about this book but also a lot of things that could have used more finesse. As I said before, a lot happens in this book and we meet a variety of characters, some with varying motives. I really liked Katya as a main character, though I thought her loyalty to the royal family was biased (for obvious reasons) and it really blinded her to the reality of the world in a sense. I also feel like we didn't wholly get to the "root" of why the Queen did what she did to Katya in terms of "binding" Katya to herself. While Katya is also a bodyguard she's also touted as an assassin and there were some moments in which I thought, "Yeah, that totally works" but also some blundering moments when I said, "I thought she's supposed to be an assassin?!" because I felt like she wasn't cautious enough in certain situations.

The developing and eventually romance between Katya and Daksh was really adorable though. Katya is snarky and she poked and prodded Daksh to no end, which I found hilarious. I was happy to know that Katya was able to find a true family, especially after her world really crumbled and she was betrayed. But again, the whole betraying part and the characters' motives kind of felt...lackluster in some instances.

I liked the incorporation of the monsters and the role they played as well. It reminds me a bit of how peoples' histories can become erased or shrouded in lies and how history is truly a story told by the victors. We were able to learn more of Katya's background but again... Kind of felt thrown in there with not much purpose. Katya doesn't seem to embrace it, nor does she want to. I hope there is a sequel because I feel like Katya's story is much larger than what can be shown in this first book.

However, I am glad Katya and these characters were able to find some peace in the end. Do I think Katya should have showed mercy to her betrayer? Not really. I would like to see more of this inner turmoil if there is a second book.

I received a digital and audio ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.

This book was wonderful. If you like me and you drawn in by lore and myth this is a great book. This is also filled with political intrigue as our main character Katyani, the queens bodyguard, is framed for the murder of the royal family. Katyani not only has to uncover what really happened and what motivated someone to kill her beloved queen and the family she was raised with. As the story unfolds there are so many other things at play that she had no knowledge of and she must use all of her skills as a warrior and those that she's learned during her time with the local spiritual leader to thwart the real villain.

This was was so well written and developed. The world building was so well done. Each of the monsters was well described as was the setting. The magic was based on spiritual power and time spent in spiritual learning so it was fairly straight forward. I loved all of the characters and felt they had great development. I thought the pacing was really well done too. This started off slow, but once you get past the initial set up things pick up nicely. I really enjoyed the aspect of the Indian lore and the medieval setting.

Like other readers I felt the romance aspect could have used a bit of work. It was a bit under developed compared to the rest of the plot. While you knew it was there and there was something developing between Katyani and Daksh there wasn't enough of it on the page for their relationship to really develop. I think the author did a good job wrapping it up in the end though. This certainly wasn't your typical YA romance with all the emotions and feelings though. The focus was more on the action side of the plotline.

I believe this is a standalone. It ends as if it is a standalone and I thought the ending was perfect, but I wouldn't be surprised if we get another book. Either way I loved this and can't wait to read more from this author!

I enjoyed this YA fantasy novel. I thought the storyline was well thought out and interesting. The build up to events was great and the story was pretty fast-paced which was perfect for this novel! I didn’t have a difficult time following the world building information drops despite their being a lot of different categories of magical beings and I was happy to see that they were pretty active within the storyline rather than just pieces of the world that get mentioned every once in a while. Katyani’s character was fierce, independent, and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, which I appreciated in a young female character. Her interactions with her brothers and Daksh felt realistic to how characters their age would converse with one another and react to situations around them. The banter and tension between Daksh and Katyani was perfect and my only complaint is that I wish we would have gotten a bit more of it.

Hoping this will have a sequel, I’m wanting more from these characters and to see where the storyline takes them!