Ravenminder by Lindsay Cummings is the first book I’ve found that gives you the same type of feeling you get from Throne of Glass. I feel like many of us who love fantasy romance books continuously try to find a book that will live up to the brilliance of that series and I can confidently say that this book truly delivers that!

Set in a war-torn world, the story follows a young woman with a strange power whose life is completely upended when she’s taken from the only life she’s ever known and brought to the castle to serve the royal crown as their Ravenminder.

The worldbuilding is incredibly intricate and so well thought out. You can tell how much care went into crafting every detail. The writing is immersive, and the story is compelling from start to finish. Despite being 500 pages, it flew by in the blink of an eye. I was completely enthralled. The pacing never lagged, and it constantly kept me guessing. As someone who can usually predict where a story is going, this felt like such a refreshing change. I truly never knew what would happen next. It was a wild, emotional ride that left me reeling in the best way.

One of the standout elements for me was the exploration of religious trauma and what it means to step away from the beliefs you were raised in. It was handled so powerfully, and the recurring quote “Do it afraid” hit me hard. It’s now one of my all time favorite quotes.

The love story was beautiful. It was definitely a slow burn which I love but I did felt gypped with the lack of a pay off since it was fade-to-black. The fade-to-black was well done but I’m hoping we get a little more spice in the next book(s). Regardless, the emotional intimacy was so well done that I still loved every second in the love story.
I wouldn’t necessarily categorize this as a “romantasy” as the romance is more of a subplot.

One of the most incredible parts to this story is Six, the Raphon (a raven-panther hybrid creature), who made the story that much more better. Her bond with the FMC, Ezer, was immaculate and added such a unique emotional layer to the book. I absolutely adored their relationship.

Overall, I just loved this book! Every twist, every emotional moment, every bit of worldbuilding, it was executed so well. With all the wild twists and turns this story took and that wild cliffhanger at the end, it has me anxiously awaiting the sequel. This was such a powerful, unforgettable story, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like
-Intricate world building
-Forbidden romance
-Slow burn romance
-Animal bonds
-Religious trauma
-War-torn world
-Gods and goddesses
-Self exploration
-Twin princes
-Twists

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

My next favourite series has been discovered. This book absolutely had me from the first chapter. Ezer is a wonderful character and I oved seeing her grow and discover who she is. The princes set as light and dark, total opposites is such a fun contrast. The world building is rich and immersive. The characters are well developed and the interactions between Ezer and the princes (Arawn and Kinlear) is great.

Ezer's life as an orphan has not been easy. It is obvious from the memories that her "uncle" did love her and that he poured into her some lessons that she clung to. In fact his voice still echoes in her mind, the little things he taught her. However, his gambling left her in a terrible position when he was drafted to serve as the ravenminder for the King on the warfront. Ezer then spent her time as a prisoner, locked in a tower, locked in chains as the ravenminder of the prison. Things rapidly change when a Knight shows up (who she finds out is the crown prince) to take her to serve as the new ravenminder.

This book just gets better and the ending will leave you longing for the second book.

If you are searching for something that will scratch your mind the same way the Throne of Glass series did, then you have stumbled on the right post, and a book that you definitely want to add to your to-read pile.

Ravenminder is not as much focused on the element of romance as much as other novels, although it still has just enough to qualify as a romantic fantasy. This is a story set in a world that has been torn apart by war. Torn apart by a battle against a dark force that constantly threatens them on a day-to-day basis.... torn between those faithful to the Five, and those who leave north to join the Acolyte.... to become a darksoul and use their magic against what they once believed in.

The number of pages that exist in this novel may be intimidating at a little over 500 pages, but do not let this intimidate you. Lindsay has spun such complexity into these pages that just shows how much love Lindsay has put into making her world and then weaving this tale perfectly in that same world. Even with how intricate she has made this world, she never seems to overdo the details, and the pacing never seems too rushed or dragging at any point as you read. There are twists and turns that will make you stop and think, and others that will make your jaw drop. Not only that, but there is a deeper side to the story as a whole. A story that maybe many will relate to, and one that I personally relate to as well, of stepping away from beliefs that you have known your entire life and recognizing the damage that can come from it, of recognizing when it is time to step away from something that you may have found comfort in at some point in your life...

Lindsay, you have truly blended together not only a deeply emotional masterpiece, but one that has a beautifully complex world that I am looking forward to stepping back into when book 2 rolls around...