Exciting world building begins in this tale of Neema, from a Raven family long ostracised by the King, however suddenly he calls her family as he plans to step down.

It is decreed that seven contenders one representing each of a Fox, Raven, Tiger, Bear, Monkey, Ox and Hound must now vie for the crown in a series of trials. Soon however their number is reduced when a competitor is mysteriously murdered. Can Neema - the Raven find the killer and take the throne for her family!

A great start to a thrilling trilogy.

I loved this one! I have heard so many good things so thought i would pick it up!!

I am obsessed with the cover!

I loved the theme of competing and the dark vibes the book gave off. The mystery was also really fun. Love the FMC!

Clearly I just loved all of it 😂

I would like to express my gratitude to Hodder & Stoughton, specifically their Hodderscape division, for providing access to this advanced reader copy. It has been quite some time since I delved into a true fantasy novel. I know it may sound a bit old-fashioned, but that’s exactly the feeling this book evoked in me for me The story is a captivating blend of fantasy and mystery, which makes it both surprising and enjoyable. The characters are well-developed, contributing to the richness of the narrative. Additionally, the world-building is impressive, immersing readers in a vivid setting. Overall, it's a compelling read that’s hard to put down. I highly recommend preordering the book; it's definitely worth it!

Be aware: this will be a raving review!

This book came highly recommended, and people kept teasing it was.... magnificent.
In the first three chapters though. I kept checking if I'm reading the right book. Not that they were bad at all, they just weren't what the blurb promised.
But then I hit chapter 4 and I was so in - and stayed. If ever a book deserves the word 'epic', then it's this one (while still maintaining a tight focus).

There's a narrative voice that is both unique and funny - also at times aiming to be scary while in fact just being dramatic.

The FMC is an incredibly interesting character. Not that you have to like her, necessarily, but you will still be entranced by her story.

In a fully developed queer-normative world, there are magical tournaments and political intrigue, murder mystery, dark academia and deep mythology.
All of that working without a romance story at heart.
On top of that my favorite trope: two entities merged into one - with one of them being a drama queen.

This book is so so good and I can't wait for the next in the trilogy.

I was so glad to have been granted both the eBook and audiobook.
The audiobook is a work of art with the narrator being a true artist. The voices she does are incredible.
Yet I had to go back time and again to the written word to absorb everything how it deserves. I also enjoyed just rereading a paragraph or more.

5/5 stars and absolute recommendation

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC and ALC.

#TheRavenScholar #Netgalley #Bookstagram

I absolutely loved The Raven Scholar!
Hooked from the very first page, I spent every free minute reading this amazing fantasy novel. Excellent world building and great characters. I cannot wait to read the next installment!

First and foremost, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

From the moment I heard about The Raven Scholar, I was eager to dive in. Unfortunately, while the premise was intriguing, the execution didn’t fully capture my attention.

At over 600 pages, this is quite a hefty read. I don’t shy away from long books, but I found myself struggling to get through this one, constantly waiting for that moment that would truly hook me—but it never quite came.

One aspect that threw me off early on was the shift from Yana to Neema as the protagonist after the first 50 pages. This may simply be a matter of personal preference, but it made it harder for me to stay engaged.

While The Raven Scholar wasn’t quite the right fit for me, I have no doubt it will resonate with its intended audience. I plan to give it another try upon its official release to see if my perspective changes.

With thanks to Hodderscape and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5 stars!

This book took me entirely by surprise. What a thrilling read. Our protaganist is likeable, smart, and offers a unique perspective in this book, as we follow her unravelling a dangerous mystery. It was interesting to watch her come to each conclusion, and the narrative voice in this book was unique and kept me hooked.

The worldbuilding in this was very well done. I never felt confused about aspects of the worldbuilding, and I loved the names and the descriptions and outfits of everyone relating back to a Guardian. It was lush and I cannot wait to read more.

I loved our protagnist, as stated above, but I also need to mention that I love our side characters too, and how each of them have traits and behaviours from their Guardian. It was woven well into the story and I loved seeing them all appear on page.

This book is 700 pages long but it really didn't feel like that. At the beginning it did drag on a little, but things kicked off very soon and from there I was hooked, and never wanted it to end.

I would recommend this for people who are looking for fantasy books about unravelling a mystery while dealing with scheming politics and a magical tournament on top of that.

And of course, a special shout out to Sol. IYKYK.

Heavy worldbuilding that can drag and just felt too chunky put in as big descriptions. The paragraphs didn't flow smoothly while some of the characteristics displayed did and were interesting. Definitely for high fantasy fans who don't mind the monologues. The competition plot was fun and the romantic elements were good.

WOW. This book is AMAZING!! I loved everything about it but my favourite thing is the narration style. The way the story is told not simply from first or third person but through the eyes of another creature. We literally have a narrator who tells us a tale, occasionally addressing the readers and talking to us. And boy it's hilarious. Seriously, The Raven is the most self absorbed creature I've seen in a while. He can't go five minutes without telling us how magnificent they are, how brilliant they are, how beautiful they are. It's so funny. I also loved the romance. My heart was breaking for Neema and Cain. Their love story is not a traditional "falling-in-love-in-the-process" arc. It's kind of already established but broken relationship. It's messy and it's angsty. It's two people, who love each other so much but whose relationship was the victim of their own ambitions and moral dilemmas, who meet for the first time after eight years apart full of heartbreak and grudges while still being in love with each other and have to work side by side now, who try so hard to hate each other but are slowly getting their spark back. What's not to like?? Now let's talk about plot twists. Like, they were so good?? Hello?? My personal favourite was a plot twist inside a plot twist. Our main character figured out the truth and you think that's it and then BOOM, another plot twist. To say that my jaw dropped is an understatement. And I LOVED it. I do admit, there were some parts that were dense to get through but in general Antonia ate with this book.

The Raven Scholar,
the masterfully woven and breathtaking epic adult fantasy of cutthroat competition and imperial deceit.
by Antonia Hodgson

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: SciFi & Fantasy

I wasn't sure on this, I love fantasy but wasn't sure if this would be the type I enjoy. Fantasy as a genre spans such a disparate range.
It was a bit confusing to start, but the characters are so intriguing I soon found myself absorbed by the story.

I love the world building, the different magics, the animal inspirations, where we could see traits of each animal in the character. I found that really clever, Havoc and his monkey like traits, Cain and his fox cunning, the bears and their stubbornness, the strength of the ox.....

There's a trial starting for the next leader, a test of wits, strength and determination, with each group organising a section utilising their skills. Its time for Bersun, current leader, to retire. He's stayed for the maximum time allowed by law.
Just at the start of the games test one of the contenders is murdered. Neema gets drawn into the search for the murderer, bringing her into danger, from a number of sources.

Its a fabulous read, full of intrigue, mystery, danger and people who are not what they seem, have ulterior motives. The more I read the stronger I felt that this is a story I need the rest of ASAP. Its so hard to write a review without revealing too much, but this is a book I really adored and know I'll re-read once the full trilogy is released. Its got everything I look for in a good fantasy, engaging, engrossing story, mysteries, twists that are unexpected, interesting characters and world building, and of course drama in spades and a hint of romance brewing. Or that could be wishful thinking on my part, I guess book two will tell ;-)

Stars: Five, a fabulous story to get lost in another world, full of all the things I love in a good fantasy.

ARC supplied by netgalley and publishers

#TheRavenScholar #NetGalley

I'm going to be honest, and this seems to be an unpopular opinion, the first half of this book was so boring for me.
I understand it was setting the scene and world building but the paragraphs are too long and too descriptive, it felt clunky to me.

BUT the second half, once the trials began: the scheming, the betrayals, the carnage, the plot twists: I loved it!
The complicated relationships between all the characters was well done!
Lovers to strangers to friends to lovers! Absolute whiplash, amazing!
The detective part was great too, I didn't come anywhere close to guessing who did the murder.

Overall, I do recommend The Raven Scholar, it was enjoyable, and I think the next books in the trilogy are going to be even better!

First half - 3 stars
Last half - 4 stars

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Wow, The Raven Scholar is nothing short of brilliant. I devoured it.The storytelling is sharp, gripping, and full of twists that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The characters are complex, layered, and so real that they stay with you long after the final page. The world-building is rich and vivid, making every setting feel alive. With its perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and emotional depth, this book completely captivated me. It's a masterful work, and I’m still thinking about it days later.

Wow, ok this was really good. Before I start, I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC of this book! Rating- 5 stars

This was the perfect book after a couple of disappointing reads. The premise sounded engaging, but often I find books fall flat and fail to deliver the rich world-building promised in their descriptions- this was not the case here. Antonia Hodgson has created a super original and engaging world, with an intricate magical background that I absolutely adored. Even the POV perspectives felt creative and fresh, and made this book such a fascinating read. I've read quite a lot of fantasy novels by this point, so to find one that surprises me and feels novel is a rarity, yet the Raven Scholar did exactly that. Plenty of plot twists and deep characters are only some of the things I found so enticing about this book. For me, the only other book that felt similar in writing format and the feeling whilst reading it was Gideon the Ninth, which was also a book that subverted my expectations in a wonderful way.

I'm already eagerly awaiting the next book (I think there should be one!) and thanks again to the publisher and Netgalley (and Antonia Hodgson of course for having produced such a great novel)!

Wow! This is a book full of details and world building. I definitely will be reading it again. Even though I read it slowly over three weeks, I still couldn't take everything in. It's so packed of action and information.

It's like three different books in one. A murder mystery, a story of mythology and the last story involves me spoiling it so you need to read it yourself.

Such a captivating story from page one. It was hard going from the first few chapters and being emotionally involved to Neema's story.

There were so many characters and I hope the physical copy had a character glossary. I was getting confused at some points.

I loved this book and will be buying a copy.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was intrigued by The Raven Scholar when I first read a preview chapter in a sampler months ago. That small glimpse had me interested, so I was excited to receive an early copy.
Unfortunately, while the premise was promising, the execution didn’t quite hold my interest the way I hoped.

At around 600 pages, this is a long book, and unfortunately, I struggled to get through it. The pacing felt slow, and while I kept hoping for something exciting to hook me, that moment never really came. There were so many different elements introduced that I was constantly unsure whether they were relevant or not.
And then, after chapters and chapters of waiting for a big moment, the book just… ended.
The story moved, but I never felt that strong push of motivation or excitement behind the events. It didn’t make me feel anything, which made it hard to stay engaged.

Structurally, the first 50 pages follow a different character before shifting to the actual main character. That switch was confusing, and I had to check the synopsis again to make sure I understood who the protagonist really was.

The romance subplot also didn’t appeal to me much. It was a second-chance romance, but one that didn’t spark any strong emotions for me. It felt like it was just there rather than something I was invested in.

That said, there were things I did enjoy!

The worldbuilding and the idea of eight mythical factions were intriguing, and I loved seeing how each group functioned. The murder mystery and competition for the throne had great potential.
The FMC’s personality was a highlight, as she was intelligent and determined, which I appreciated.
And, of course, Sol, the animal companion, was easily one of my favorite parts. I’m always a sucker for a good companion animal in a story.

While The Raven Scholar wasn’t for me, I know it will find the right readers.
Despite my personal opinion, I think it’s best for everyone to try it out anyway! If you enjoy slow paced storytelling, political intrigue, murder investigation, competition for the throne, second-chance romance, and magical creatures, you will likely enjoy this book more than I did. Give it a try!

Wow. I loved The Raven Scholar! This is a fantastic story full of politics, intrigue, and magic. Absolutely loved it and can't wait for more!

I was misled as to the length of this book, if I had known it was over 650 pages, I wouldn't have read it. As it is, I am so glad that I did. The world building was excellent and drew me in straight away. The plot was complex and very exciting. I really didn't see some of the twists coming. It is the characters that really make this book such a good read. Neema and Cain are wonderful and their up and down relationship was amusing. The minor characters were diverse and interesting. I particularly liked, Benna, Fenn and Sol. Whilst there is plenty of action and thrills in the story, there is also a light and humorous tone running through the book that gives the story a well rounded feel to it.
Despite its length, this was a relatively quick read and is highly recommended. Can't wait for the sequel.

This was one chunky book and I always dread starting one because sometimes spending too much time with one story makes me spiral into a reading slump and I hate that.

In the beginning, I was a bit confused by the time and location jumps, and it took some time to get used to the writing style (it kind of reminded me a bit of the style in A Series of Unfortunate Events - nothing wrong with that, I was just really not expecting that).
Even though I was a bit put off by the writing style at first I came to really enjoy it and it suited the story perfectly.

I got hooked to the story right from the start and I felt so comfortable there I didn’t even want to leave. The narration kept a steady and comfortable pace and there were so many twists and turns so it was impossible to get bored, despite the length of the book. Whenever I tried to predict something or thought that I knew where something was going, it turned out I was completely wrong? and I really loved that. Although the foreshadowing (or occasional lack thereof) didn’t always land perfectly, it never let the story stagnate.

The story weaves together a variety of familiar ideas into a fresh and enjoyable experience.
Although most of the story takes place on the same island we do get glimpses of other parts of the world and I found the world building to be well-developed. It wasn’t unnecessarily confusing or complex but rather very engaging and interesting.

Funny enough, I really hated some (or most?) of the characters in the beginning, especially Neema, though I came to appreciate her as the story progressed and I could identify with her thought processes. I loved Cain and enjoyed every scene with him in it, also I loved Fenn, Benna and PinkPink. Especially Benna earned a special place in my heart. Other than that, I didn’t really warm up to any of the other characters or should I say I outright wanted to punch them? - but that isn’t to say I didn’t appreciate their role in and understood their importance to the story. Their unpredictable motivations added a layer of realism to the story.
All in all the characters each were as different and diverse as they could be, some adorable and lovable, some morally grey and some outright heinous and unredeemable and I loved the mix. It does get a bit boring when everyone is a sweetheart and no-one makes your blood boil, right?
<spoiler> Also I’d like to add that I’ll probably forever be haunted by Yanara's fate - I kept hoping that maybe she somehow got away and survived but apparently not? I really wanted her to make a badass comeback and give everyone what they deserve and take the throne for herself. Like, I really REALLY wanted that. I wish she would have gotten a happy ending and tbh I will not be giving up hope, after all we still got a second installment in the series so I’ll keep wishing. Am I being delusional? Maybe. </spoiler>

This story and the characters now live rent free in my head and I literally can’t wait for part 2. I wish I at least knew the release date, but alas this first part isn’t even really published yet and I was just blessed with an e-ARC. So impatiently waiting it is.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Review posted on:
Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7242440859
TheStoryGraph; https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/dd2eccbe-a598-461c-ba47-7f43764cf69f

📚 review 📚
the raven scholar - antonia hodgson

she might win the throne. she might destroy an empire. either way it begins with a murder…. that was all it took for me to dive in head first. this is the epic fantasy i have been looking for - it’s political intrigue and different factions reminded me a little of priory of the orange tree and yet at the same time, it’s like nothing i’ve read before.
it’s funny, it’s well crafted and even better it’s the start of a new series!
considering this is almost 700 pages long, i flew through this, it was so engaging and fun i didn’t want to put it down.

i am so excited for where the next books in the series go - i am just begging you to keep my faves safe!
thank you to the people at yalc who introduced me to this and to @netgalley for the early copy.

the raven scholar is out in april and i’ve added it to my wish list already!

It took a while to get into this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed it, especially the twists. Thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to review it.