A decent but unremarkable kids fantasy.

The premise for this was fine if not terribly unusual, and the story moves well enough, though it never really gets where it needs to in order to truly be a success.

My kids were bored with this one, and though I liked it better than they did, I found it really predictable and pretty banal in terms of plot and magical system.

The characters were fine if stereotypical for the genre, but I love the fantasy trope where the house itself is a character, and though that’s not truly critical to the plot here, it’s well-rendered and the most clever and endearing part of the book.

I adore spooky middle grade, so I knew I wanted read Ravenfall the moment it was announced. I will say, this was a bit darker than most of the spooky middle grade novels I've read. The backstory of one of the characters is quite disturbing, so that's something to keep in mind, but I definitely don't think it's too scary for most middle school readers. I think the thing that really stands out though is the setting. A magical hotel/B&B is such a fun place to set a Halloween book, and I think kids are going to adore this and clamor for the sequel!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It's been a while since I finished this book, and to be completely honest with you it has already slipped my mind. I don't even remember the names of the characters or the actual plot, aside from bits and pieces, and this alone should tell you enough on how memorable of a book Ravenfall was for me.
I was mostly bored through the whole thing, and I regretted ever having requested an e-ARC for it. I had such high hopes, since I am a huge fan of middle grades, but I was sorely disappointed.
I am pretty sure this is the first book in a series, and that the second book is already out, but you can bet I won't be continuing with this, because even powering through these 250 pages was too much of a tragedy for me.
I am very sorry, but this book just wasn't for me and I don't think it adds anything new or interesting to the middle grade genre.

I think this book was another solid spooky, fantasy to read. It was a struggle for me to get through because of the writing, but I thought that it's another book that kids would read.

Ravenfall is a spooky yet cozy MG, perfect for Halloween read. Colin, on the run from mysterious murderors ends up at magical Ravenfall where he meets Anna, a girl who’s trying to find her place in her magical family. When a threat comes to town with Colin, the two must join forces to defeat it. I really enjoyed how we are immersed in both the magical world and the complex emotions of the main characters, Colin’s survivor guilt, sorrow, and search for belonging, and Anna’s struggle to be special in family of extraordinary talents. Highly recommend!

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson is a fun, spooky read for children that is perfect for Halloween-obsessed kids and more fantasy-oriented ones too! Josephson does a great job establishing and building her world, and I'm certainly not surprised this is a planned series. While this is a middle grade novel, there is a lot of discussion of murder, so be aware of that before recommending it to more sensitive children.

This book has a different quality about it that makes it very easy to read and make you think about it after you put it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

The perfect book for spooky season! I loved the charming characters, a personified house, interesting lore, and scary monsters. Kalyn Josephson is skilled at capturing just the right voice for a middle grade audience and this story has so many fun and thrilling elements that I know young readers will enjoy.

Ravenfall fell into my favorite spooky season middle grade books! What is it about MG that is extra spooky? I can't wait for the second story!

I love reading middle-grade books, as I teach 4th grade and I'm always looking for new books to show my kiddos and ones to put on my shelves. Kids, especially right now, are obsessed with spooky things and supernatural elements. This book will be a hit with most kids, I think! I really enjoyed the creepy aspects, the characters, and the Celtic background that was woven in. I'm considering reading this as a read aloud this come October!

This is a wonderful magical adventure of friendship, family, and grief set at a sentient inn with interesting characters. (Like a Jabberwocky!) Anna lives with her extended family at their magical B&B with Otherworld and human world guests. A boy named Colin arrives and asks for sanctuary and help after his parents were murdered and his brother went missing. Anna wants to help him, but she doesn’t think her power to see ghosts is as helpful as her other family members’ powers. But, as they work together to unravel the secrets of his parents, Colin finds his own powers and Anna discovers her own strengths. But will they be enough to stop the menacing creature who wants to kill Colin?

A very very interesting book. I was most drawn to the book by the concept of a sentient house and all the residents and I was not disappointed at all. It was everything that I thought it would be, but even better.

Ravenfall is a story filled with supernatural mystery and a that good creepy mysterious vibe. I loved Ravenfall Inn as it's one was those sentient type houses that changes and adjusts at time to its residents much like the Encanto and the hotel from Nevermoor. It's a story about fitting in when you don't feel special enough to compared with those around you. It's also a great story about sticking with your friends and learning to rely on each other instead of trying to do everything yourself.

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an ARC!
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Unfortunately I DNFed this, it just didn’t catch my attention and maybe I’ll get into it again when I’m in the perfect headspace to give this another try! But I would buy and recommend this to others definitely!

This was an excellent middle grade paranormal fantasy where our two main characters are thrown into the mystery of the Ravenfall Inn. Annabelle and Colin must learn to work together to stop these mysterious forces from interfering as the veil between both their world and the otherworld begin to collide. This is a suspenseful tale that allows readers to follow the plot of the story without there being a lag, any of the story building that does happen flows seamlessly and doesn't drag or hinder the story, but rather, brings in new elements to enrich the storyline.

This was a fun read. I really enjoyed it and have recommended it to many people.
At thirteen years old Anna has never been normal. None of her family has. Her home isn't. Frankly, her town isn't even normal. Her home is at the Ravenfall Inn, right on the border of the human world and the Otherworld. Her family's psychic abilities are used to keep the inn running, but Anna feels left out, that she can't help because her ability is to see death. How can that help anybody?

Colin, at fourteen, has been on the run with his family for months. Now, alone, he has made his way to Ravenfall Inn, the one place his family told him to go if they ever got separated. He hopes to find his brother there after Liam took off after the men they found murdering their parents. The men they were trying to run from.

The two team up when they realize Anna has bumped into one of the men responsible for killing his parents, because she saw the exact moment Colin and Liam discovered the murderers. As the two discover Colin's heritage and how their lives are more entwined than they first thought, they are in a race against the clock to save the veil between the two worlds. They only have until midnight on Halloween to stop the destruction of the veil and their world.

Ravenfall was a fast-paced and spooky read! I love the characters. They seemed very realistic. I like how it was based on Celtic mythology! The story was very atmospheric and made for a Good Halloween read! I recommend this for fans of Coraline!

Wick Oregon is renowned as a place “where magic is never far from your fingertips”, and the veil separating the otherworld from ours is very thin, but during Samhain it is thinner. The story unfolds through two voices, Anna and Colin.Anna's family, all of whom have a specific magical power, runs Ravenfall, the enchanted inn, which maintains itself. Colin's parents, who were in the witness protection program, were recently murdered and Colin's older brother instructed him to go to Ravenfall, and wait for him there. Colin arrives as the family are preparing for one of their famous Samhain celebrations to which visitors flock, some for the comraderie of fellow magical folk, and others to see what they think is a theatrical performance. During the days leading up to the event, Colin learns the truth about his parents, that they were Ravenguards, a powerful group that keep the realms separated. He also discovers not only his magical power, but that his Irish ancestor Fin Varra, otherwise known as the King of the Dead, wants to use him to rejoin the living. The residents of Ravenfall band together to teach Colin to use his powers, and to thwart the attack by Fin. Loved the magic of the inn and its residents, the Celtic mythology, and the adventure. Looking forward to Ravenfall #2, Hollowthorn!
Thank you to Delacorte Press , an imprint of Random House Children's, and Netgalley for the digital arc.

This might be a Halloween story, but this supernatural fantasy thriller can be enjoyed by middle grade readers year-round.

Ravenfall was one of the novels that our 5-7th grade lit class read in the fall of 2022. It was a massive hit with the kids.