Review--King of Ravens by Clare Sager

 

He’ll do anything to keep her. She’d do anything to escape.

Rhiannon is dying—of what, she doesn’t know. Kept protected by her family in their remote seaside cottage, she spends her days searching for a cure. Her world is torn apart, however, when a fae King of the Dead invades her home.

Cold and cruel, Drystan offers her a choice: descend to the underworld as his bride or watch her family die. Trapped in a twisted bargain, Rhiannon is thrust into a world of withered gods, scheming courtiers, and ancient magic, but she refuses to be a pawn in a game she never agreed to play. She attempts over and over to run away, until Drystan offers her a new bargain: escape his deadly labyrinth, and he will set her free. Fail, and become his bride.

But in a court where every promise has teeth, Annon must make an impossible choice: return to the home she's always loved or claim her place in a world where she might finally belong.

King of Ravens by Clare Sager was a smash hit from start to finish! This is what I live for with romantasy reads and this book sits at the top of my favorite list after finishing it! It's perfect blend of favorite tropes and new twists to familiar stories. It was phenomenal! 

Rhiannon's life has been in turmoil for the past few years. She's sick with some unknown illness that leaves her weak and listless. She doesn't know how much time she has left, but she tries to make the best of the life she's been given. Until the day a fae prince comes to collect her. Turns out her father made a deal with The Morrigan years before she was born that his first-born daughter would be given to her son as his bride and that day has come. Rhiannon has been given over to the King of Death.

Drystan is not overly happy about the deal is mother made for him, but such is the life. Rhiannon tries everything to get him to let her go, for she longs to return home to her family, particularly her brother who has given up so much to help take care of her. Eventually, Drystan makes her a deal: if she can escape his twisted labyrinth filled with dangers and challenges, then he will let her go home if she so chooses. If she fails, then she has to stay with him.

Like most fae bargains, this deal is a bit twisty. Rhiannon will attempt to escape the labyrinth during the day, for Drystan's kingdom is more active at night and at nights she must play the prefect fiancee to his kingdom who is looking forward to seeing their king get married. Naturally, this allows for time spent together and to get to know one another. Drystan comes off as your typical broody, overlording fae but he does have another side to him. It was hard to believe him at first if he was being genuine with his kindness, because as we all know, the fae can be very deceptive.

The romance naturally falls into that enemies to lovers variety that I do so enjoy! The two do not get along at their first meet since they are being forced together. It kind of gives off some The Beauty and the Beast vibes only in the sense that she's his "prisoner." But given the opportunity to escape does remove some of that prisoner vibe. Then comes the gradual process from enemies to almost friends to something more. It was a beautiful transition really! I love that even when they did not like each other Drystan was protective of Rhiannon, even if it seems more of a possessive vibe, but while it could be conceived as possessive, I felt like that it was something more. So it's all a matter of perspective I guess.

The pacing to this one was well set. It wasn't overtly fast, but not at all slow either. It was the perfect pace really. We learn some pretty twisted secrets along the way, one that I could see coming even, but what it will mean in the long run doesn't feel very clear by the ending. Which the ending itself was chock full of surprises! One after another and then of course that ending. I'll warn you, it's a doozy of a cliffhanger! But knowing that we will get another book does tend to ease some of the tension...some, not all, only a wee bit! Lol.

King of Ravens is a tantalizing romantasy read that will leave you breathless and craving for more! This is fae romantasy done right! I loved every moment of this book and am achingly, eagerly anticipating the next installment!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars