The Raven and The Dove, written by Kaitlyn Davis, is a wonderful young adult fantasy that hit the shelves on March 9th. Published by Amazon Publishing, this tale is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde. A unique world, avian inspired, that will leave you breathless with a forbidden romance, jaw-dropping twists, and more.
Thank you so much, Kaitlyn Davis, for the gifted copy, the bookmark/art, and signed bookplate! Picture on my Instagram. 🙂 I devoured this book in no time. This book review is my own and this tour is hosted by the FFBC Tours.
Synopsis – The Raven and The Dove by Kaitlyn Davis
Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A princess longing to be free…
On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.
A bastard aching to belong…
Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.
Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…
Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.
Three shocking betrayals. Two star-crossed lovers. One unforgettable journey. If you like fierce heroines, brooding heroes, forbidden romance, and action-packed magical adventures with twists you’ll never see coming, don’t miss The Raven and the Dove!
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Review
The Raven And The Dove has been quite a surprise read and a really good one at that. I started reading this book not quite sure what to expect. I was pulled into the story right from the start. I actually read this book pretty fast.
First, this book is told from multiple points of view, which I felt was needed in this story because it brought different perspectives on their world, their past, and motivation. I felt more invested in the four main characters and better understood them.
Lyanna, the princess, is quite a curious character with a good heart. She tends to be childish at times, but she remains likable. Her friend, Cassi, is quite the character. She is… Just read it! I mean, the girl herself is worth the read. lol
Rafe and his brother, Xander have a very interesting dynamic and I truly enjoyed reading about each character. They all bring something important to the story.
Now, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, but the plot twists and that #%@^#%% ending were amazing. Even though there were a couple of things that were predictable, the story really took me by surprise and this is something I always appreciate.
Finally, the magic system is interesting but the fact that the world is avian inspired really brought something unique to the story. This part was refreshing and forced me to think about things I would have never really paid attention to before. I can tell the author put a lot of work into it.
Overall, this was a great read that I highly recommend. There were a couple of things with Lyanna that bugged me, but nothing major. This is a four/four and a half star for me.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Excerpt
“Game?” she asked. Her hands had stopped moving. They rested warmly in the hollow groove between his wings, palms half against his feathers and half against his back.
Rafe stole another glance over his shoulder. She was too entranced to see anything but the visions dancing through her head, the visions he’d spun. An almost childlike wonder was alive in her innocent, yearning gaze, igniting a spark in his own chest that he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Not since his parents had died. Not since he’d grown up too soon.
“We like to think of Taetanos as the god of fate, not of death,” Rafe said softly. The glaze in the girl’s eyes disappeared as she looked into his. “We call life a game, because we each have our own wants, our own desires—but he sees everything, he knows everything, and he leads us down our destined path. We fight back sometimes, we make moves, and so does he. On and on it goes until, in the end, he wins, like he always does. But still, we keep playing. What other choice do we have?”
Again, her fingers brushed his feathers, but she didn’t look away.
He couldn’t, even if he’d wanted to.
“What do you think this is?” She paused to swallow. “His move or yours?”
His, he silently answered. Definitely his.
Because Rafe ached to fly, to soar, to get out of the darkness and back to his brother, back to the role he was comfortable playing, back to the sidelines. But there was a weight in his chest keeping him there, keeping him still, keeping him so lost in the fire reflected in her eyes that he couldn’t find his way out even if he tried.
For a moment, he thought he could hear his god laughing.
Then he realized it wasn’t laughter, but the soft whistle of a bird call—a signal he recognized. His move. His life. His brother calling him back.
Xander?
Rafe tensed.
His head whipped to the side, pulled by the noise growing louder, coming not from his imagination but from the other side of the darkness. He opened his mouth to call out in response, when a hand covered his lips and an arm slid around his throat, stronger and more ferocious than he’d expected. Rafe froze as the icy edge of a blade pressed into his skin, instantly recognizing the kiss of steel.“Be silent,” the girl ordered. “Don’t say a word.”
About the author: Kaitlyn Davis
Kaitlyn Davis, a bestselling author with over a quarter of a million books sold, writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publisher’s Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com
Sign up for Kaitlyn’s newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of her new releases and more! http://bit.ly/AuthorNewsletter
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Offer and International Giveaway
The pre-order price is $2.99 for the first week of on sale, and after that, the price will increase to $3.99.
Prize: Win an Amazon.com $15 Gift Card (INT)
March 10, 2020 – March 24, 2020
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Thank you so much for joining the tour and for this wonderful review! So glad you enjoyed my book!
Thank you so very much for including me. Can’t wait for the next installment 🙂