story craft

Genre: YA Fantasy

Format: Audio book. Hardcover

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite quote: “Grief swelled within her, pressing against her skin until she thought she would burst from the strength of it. It stole her voice, her breath, and gave her agony instead.”

Review:

Before I posted this review, I finished all of the books in the Ravenspire series. Though I listened to this one as an audio book—which I can definitely recommend, Khristine Hvam’s voice is amazing—I finished each of the books within twenty-four hours. They were unputdownable.

Truthfully, I don’t know if I could choose a favorite, though I do love seeing characters we love appear in subsequent stories, even if in name only. I absolutely loved the specific ways C.J. Redwine revamped the well-loved fairytales.

And I seriously hope that some day, somehow Hansel and Gretel get their own Ravenspire book—they were such a pleasant surprise in these four books.

But you’re not here for that, I guess. You’re here for my thoughts on Lorelai and Kol—the hidden-away Ravenspire royal and the Draconi prince with the weight of the world (or at least his kingdom) on his scales—er, shoulders.

I adore these two characters and their crew in this retelling of Snow White. I ached for them. I cried with them. And along with their friends and people, I wanted to follow them too. They have heart, compassion, and a fierce protectiveness for the people they love.

Whether you agree with their actions or scream “No! Never make a deal with a witch!” like I did, you can see how these admirable traits drove them to do absolutely anything if they thought it would be best for others.

We get to follow Kol and Lorelai through their homelands, into the mountains, and into a grand, unknown adventure on every page. Leo, Gabriel, Trugg, Sasha, Jyn, and the Draconi warriors who stand behind their friend, Kol, make for the best adventure companions. They’ll make you laugh, cry, scream, want to pull your hair out, and shake your head. But you’ll definitely want these kinds of friends in your life.

I can’t go into much more without giving away the whole plot, but Redwine has a gift for vivid scenery and characters who feel as real as the guy or girl next door. Seriously, all of her characters are so well-developed and easy to fall in love with—it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite. (Although if I had to, it would probably be Ari. So, stay tuned for my review of Book 2, The Wish Granter!)

These books can be read as standalone novels, but I would recommend reading them as a series since characters from previous books sometimes show up in words or in person on the pages of other stories.

My take;

Love isn’t always a fairytale—even if it exists in them. Love means sacrifice and putting others first. Love gives willingly; it’s not forced, but it is a force to be reckoned with.