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An alpha wolf, a seductive vampire, and a dominant fae all walk into a bar. What do they have in common?

Being mated to me, apparently.

My dreams of retirement crashed and burned when the rogue shifter bit me. Not only have I changed into something neither world has ever seen before, but my mission just became even more impossible. To find the answers about what I am, I enlist the help of an infamous ex-poltergeist, a shifter freak, and my least favorite pigeon.

What a team we make.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that my mate’s bloodthirsty daughter is awake and hunting my ass now? Because that’s a thing too.

Why?
I have no idea, but we have every intention of finding out.

An angel is playing games with me, but little do they know—I’ve got three alphas by my side, and this dark horse plays for keeps.


WHITE RAVEN is book two in A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife series. Start the series with DARK HORSE right now! This is an adult paranormal romance series with multiple love interests and some dark elements. If you don't like strong but flawed women and alphahole heroes that need to learn a thing or two about boundaries--this book is not for you. If you love works by Tate James, Ivy Asher, Raven Kennedy, Joely Sue Burkhart, and CM Stunich, then dive right in to the Afterlife. It'll be one hell of a ride.

Audible Audio

First published July 22, 2021

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About the author

Kel Carpenter

73 books2,148 followers
Kel Carpenter is a master of werdz. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s traveling the world, lovingly pestering her co-author, and spending time with her family. She is always on the search for good tacos and the best pizza. She resides in Maryland and desperately tries to avoid the traffic.

For subrights or media and film inquiries, please reach out to kel@kelcarpenter.com.

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5 stars
1,539 (47%)
4 stars
1,085 (33%)
3 stars
535 (16%)
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14 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
Profile Image for Al *the semi serial series skipper*.
1,659 reviews851 followers
August 19, 2021
I really really enjoyed this first book, the heroine was badass and her ability to die and come back to live made her even more so in my eyes.

This book took a different direction. The badass heroine from the first book was missing in this one. First off, the heroine has lost that power that made her so attractive to me in the first place, because she could die she was coddled the ENTIRE book. She wasn't allowed to do anything by herself. I understand the worry but considering I also read book about heroines that are not invincible I expected her to kick ass at least. Instead she took a back seat in that regard.

I don't know if that's what made the book dragged but something definitely did. This book was sooo long for a book of it's length. They did nothing the entire book. There was no action or anything. The fall out from the end of the last book was dealt with through words, little to no action involved.

I am not interested in the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Dani (Daniiireads).
1,967 reviews326 followers
July 31, 2021
This is probably the hardest review I’ve ever written because there’s so much I want to say about these characters and this book and I can’t seem to articulate how I feel about them properly.

The book is fucking phenomenal. I loved Dark Horse, but this one blew it completely out of the water. Fury’s character growth in White Raven is *chefs kiss*, and I’m so happy to see her opening up and making bonds with her mates and actually having friendships. It’s nice seeing a more vulnerable and open side to her character, and I can’t wait to see how much more she grows into herself and in these relationships.

Things I loved:

* Hades, that feathered asshole really grew on me this book
* Rava and Jules, I’m kind of in love with them
* DORIAN 😍😍😍, literally everything about him (well, minus the whole omitting something very important thing). Gah, just the king of aftercare
* Fury, I know I wrote a paragraph already, but I love her and her new quirky abilities

Things I hated:

* The ending, because the book ended and it ended in a cliffhanger that I was not expecting at all and I kind of need Black Swan ASAP and I’m hating that I have to wait until December to see how this plays out 😩

Just read the fucking book
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,091 reviews119 followers
August 2, 2021
Not as good as the first book

Not as amazing as the first one. The first book had me cracking up with fury and her craziness! I'm not exactly sure what happened this time around, but I will say this much ( it was boring). Fury takes on the role of just being coddled and the men now are in charge of her being safe. Total 360 from the first amazing intro. I found myself skimming through this book of absolute nothing pretty much already knowing who set what's her face free and who he was to fury. I mean anyone with an IQ of 10 would? I'm not sure why we dragged on that honestly? But I just couldn't find myself being sucked in like the first book. The ending was probably the only cool and exciting thing to actually happen. Not sure how I feel about continuing on.
981 reviews2 followers
August 15, 2021
This book was a disappointment compared to the first book. Ironically, I was expecting all the things that annoyed me in this book to plague the first book, but I had been pleasantly surprised to be wrong. However, I think I then raised my expectations too high for this book. The first book created a new world fascinating exposition that really captured my attention. This book felt a bit like the authors were so eager to end at a certain point in the plot that the development of feelings and relationships was no longer a priority.

This book picks up from the end of the first book, with Fury barely knowing any of her mates, yet they helped her survive potential death by turning her into a bit of their species. So now she's a hybrid of many species. But no one knows what her new powers may be. On top of that Dorian's daughter, Lyra, has been awakened and she is wreaking havoc. However, it eventually becomes clear that an angel is pulling her strings, and no one is sure why. While this threat looms, Fury is have medical issues, and taking turns spending time with her mates.

The action and magic part of the plot is actually entertaining, but the romance side of things was lacking quite a bit in this book. For one thing, Fury is shuttled around between her mates like she's a child changing custody between divorced parents. Her mates even have that feeling like divorced parents that dislike one another but have to play at being nice. It felt dumb especially considering that it never really felt like Fury had chemistry with any of her mates thus far. A ways into this book I do see the chemistry, but by that point the authors have already pushed the relationship well past the point of fresh chemistry. The first book Roman treated Fury like an errant juvenile that won't conform to his rules and wishes, and then all of the sudden Fury feels at home with him and his pack. She shows up for one bonfire party memorial surface and doesn't talk to anyone but Roxanne, Roman's sister, plus two other people, and she begins to feel that Roman's entire pack provides her with a family. It was irrational and rushed. The authors clearly wanted Roman's world to supplement her need of a family so they threw Fury into the group setting and assumed that made her part of the family. Problem was, she barely talked to anyone and the occasion was that a bunch of people had died; a bunch of people she never knew. Why would a jump to the conclusion that she bonded with all these pack members that are grieving their lost comrades? I would've thought the circumstances meant she felt more alone. Alas, this moment in the plot cemented her feelings that she has family. She still barely even knows Roman at this point.

She also barely even knows Dorian, let alone really accepts him as a mate, and yet she is deeply betrayed that he isn't a fount of information. He keeps some of his secrets close to his chest and she is truly hurt by it. I can understand mad and upset, but her emotions belied a sense that she and Dorian are a lot closer than they are. Again, it felt that the authors were ready to show Fury and Dorian making the next step in their relationship without showing the previous four steps.

The authors made it clear in the first book that just because Dorian, Ezra, and Roman feel the mate bond to Fury, doesn't mean that Fury feels any attachment to them. Yet this book features an underlying presumption that Fury is on board with these mate bonds with a sense of possessiveness and wants to deepen all the connections. This stage just felt too rushed. The magic of the world-building the first book brought was greatly diminished with this book, since the majority of the world-building was completed. Now the weakness in the character and relationship development really stood out and brought this book down in my eyes.

As of now, I am undecided about whether I will read the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Kaity.
1,982 reviews24 followers
November 3, 2025
Audio:
5 stars for Savannah Gilmore
5 stars for Adam Gold

Book: 4 stars for series

I was hooked from book 1 and I read the full complete series book so it all blended together haha!

I wished that we had some spinoff series with the other characters!
Profile Image for Cat H.
1,972 reviews219 followers
January 26, 2023
4.4 stars.
So. I’m still liking it. Plus I’ve already started the last book. Just barely, but for me, lately, that’s a big deal.
For some reason I’ve just been getting bored with trilogies for the last like, 6 months, at least. And I’m lucky if I don’t DNF half way through the second book.
So the fact that I finished this and am still feeling the desire to get answers and reading on, sort of says a lot about what I feel about this series.

We got a big bomb dropped on us as a cliffhanger in this one and I’m so freaking looking forward to how this all plays out.
I need to know that all of these characters end up happy. I think I’m attached.
Just a little.
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
2,517 reviews1,592 followers
December 8, 2025
I liked this second book better than the first though I have rated them both the same. I think maybe because Fury wasn’t as loud or extra here, and as I mentioned in my previous review, she has started to get irritating. I'm going to finish the trilogy, as I’ve invested the time, but it’s not going to be a favourite of mine. I should mention there's nothing essentially wrong with this series it just isn’t quite my vibe. The writing itself is good and it is easy to digest.

The core storyline is also quite interesting but I think the romantic connections are weak and it lets it down somewhat. Also, it seems kinda slow and considering we are two books in we are still have hardly learning anything important. Finally, the antagonist here was hell obvious and it stuck out a mile.
Profile Image for Alex(Books-In-A-Storm).
2,571 reviews66 followers
August 21, 2021
I absolutely loved this one. It was amazing.
Poor Fury has to figure out what the hell is going on with her body and what the damn angel wants.
It was a rollercoaster and I loved ever minute of it.
I can't wait for the last book to come out.
Profile Image for Desi.
665 reviews106 followers
November 20, 2023
Fantastic twist ending. Great humor.
Profile Image for Rachel.
2,343 reviews131 followers
July 25, 2021
Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane have done a fantastic job with White Raven, A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife series. I loved the first book so much, it feels like I've been waiting forever for the second book in the series and the wait was well worth it, I loved the second book even more than the first.

A lot happened in the first book and even more, happened in White Raven. Fury is still determined to stop the world from ending even if the ones that are going to ending it are now her mates, Fury is determined to do her job but she's grown feelings for the three alpha males plus with her gooey heart, she doesn't want to hurt them so things have gotten complicated for her. Also, add in a crazy fae princess on the lose, the possible interference of angels, and the bumbling of her bosses in the Afterlife, things are getting more complicated by the second. The mission isn't going right, Fury is good at her job, she's smart, and after putting the pieces together things are starting to not feel right. Misinformation, no straight answers, and weird things are starting to connect, Fury is starting to realize that someone may have a hand in what's going on.

One good thing about all this chaos is that it's forcing Fury to build relationships, fast pacing the other as well, and not just with her mates, Fury is gaining friends fairly well which is a surprise considering what a loner she was in her Afterlife. Things with Ezra were already moving along but I really understood his commitment to Fury in this one, he showed his caring side and he's really trying with her, it's adorable especially since she was really mean to him in this one. The most shocking relationship developments are with Dorian and Roman, both are possessive alpha males. First, Dorian who is stoic, doesn't show emotion and is rather removed, the fae really opened up in this one and I'm surprised how passionate he can be and also how stupid, there were a couple of times where I just wanted to shake him for making bad choices, but I loved the possessiveness that he expresses in this book, things were fire and I loved it. Finally, there is Roman who didn't think he could ever get over his late mate enough to work on a relationship with Fury but somehow things progress with them in surprising ways. Best of all the guys are starting to be decent towards each other in the common goal to keep Fury safe.

The plot was great, I love the new friendships that Fury makes, Rava is really cool and Roxanne is like a sister, and they both rally around Fury to help her with the issues that crop up. Even Hades aka "pigeon" is being helpful this time around. Hades is gathering information, cracking jokes (seriously some good scenes) and so much more, he and Fury are growing a bond that neither of them will acknowledge. As for the story, Fury has now been turned into a hybrid by her three mates and none of them know what to expect because Fury is unique. She has a few complications that cause everyone to be worried because of course nothing is normal for her then add in Fury's new powers and dealing with a fae princess's blood-lust, a lot was going on, lots of drama. The story was paced well, with new information revealed about the afterlife, about the angels, vampires, shifters, and the fae. Not to mention that a new character was introduced and while her legend is known Kel and Aurelia twisted the legend and turned it into something that actually fits the story really well.

I love the Afterlife series, White Raven was utterly fantastic, better than I could have hoped for. Alpha males, steamy scenes, wise-cracking birds, relationship drama, fantastic characters, new powers, past trauma, and a jaw-dropping plot twist at the end just to name some of the things that happened in this book. How could I not be entertained? How could I not love every second of this book? That ending was a doozy, it opened up a whole new can of worms and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book Black Swan. I don't know if Black Swan is the final book or not but I'm hoping not because I already want more Fury, either I will be (im)patiently waiting for the next book.

Profile Image for Marsha.
3,053 reviews58 followers
October 12, 2021
I really enjoyed the first book in the Demon's Guide to the Afterlife but White Raven really didn't do it for me. What went wrong. I have a real aversion to rape being used in books as a literary device. It is not one nor should it be used unless the author is willing to deal with the harsh aftermath.

In this story, our main character is mated to a fae, werewolf , and a vampire. There is groaning and moaning going on until our herione mate with Ezra, with an audience and then the brutal rape is discussed just as if it were nothing. The read was really slow getting started and I began to question if it were for me but after the rape scene, I had truly had enough. Read it for yourself and decide but I will not be going on with this series.
Profile Image for Natalie  H.
3,796 reviews30 followers
February 18, 2022
I enjoyed the first one, this one not so much. The guys felt like they were smothering Fury and trying to push her into a damsel in distress role. I did like Ezra with his mind reading, but the other two not so much. I preferred it when she told them to shut their mouths and to give the women a chance. Favorite part was Hades teasing the raven and Jules. The ending felt a little anti-climatic bordering on the usual revelations. I got this far, might as well get through the last one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Zen.
2,982 reviews
February 18, 2022
The plot thickens

The story advances quite a bit in this second novel. Relationships are started and strengthened. A few revelations made at the end of this one make it a game changer. Still love the characters and the world created here.
Profile Image for Rambling Reader.
465 reviews75 followers
August 1, 2021
Fury is back, with more vengeance to dish out. Well, sort of. She's got a lot of vengeance to give, but she's still not quite sure who to give it to.

One of the things that we see in White Raven is some progress with figuring out more about our bad guy. There's a little bit of a twist, then a twist within the twist, so even if you're like me and you felt like you saw some of it coming, there'll still be a surprise for you at the end! That's something that I like- because Carpenter and Co. gave me enough clues that I could get a little victory with my prediction, but they were also sneaky enough to give me a little wait, what??? moment to keep my curiosity stoked and get me ready for book three.

Fury is making some progress in this one, not just with the case but with herself. She's still using her crutch to try to ignore the pain of her past, but I think there's going to be a reckoning about that in book three. She has little steps, moments where she's actually FEELING instead of running in book two, and I think that's important for her. She needs some positivity and real connections to eradicate the void that her past left within her. So, as her connections to Roman, Dorian, and Ezra grow stronger, that's a natural progression.

The guys are breaking out a bit more too. Ezra was really in the lead in book one, but we see Dorian and Roman get more of a spotlight in this one, or at least I think so. They both needed to crack down some walls and step up to make a connection with Fury if that's what they wanted, and we do see each of them making strides to do that. I was a little disappointed that Ezra felt a little less focused on, but he has some really nice moments with Fury that show he pays attention to who she is and definitely makes good use of those glimpses into her head.

Overall, there's some laugh out loud moments, especially when Fury is sparring with Hades, and there are some of those "awww" scenes where you'll get the warm fuzzies. The plot is continuing strong, and even though we might not have gotten as much progress on the big bad as I would have liked, I didn't feel like the story was filled with fluff or going nowhere. It's getting there, in its own time, and it's time that's used wisely.
Profile Image for Victoria.
598 reviews14 followers
July 29, 2021
Worldbuilding:
I just have to say it... I absolutely LOVED the recap at the start!!! There were already several things I had totally forgotten, but Hades saved the day in a totally Hades fashion :D
As in the previous book, scenes and environments were well described and clear.

Character development:
After the bombshells that were dropped in the first instalment, I really wanted to say that everything calmed down a bit, but that would be a lie :)
In between all the action and revelations, this book really had them all getting used to the idea of being together. Together in the same house, together as Fury's mates,... and this wasn't an easy thing, for any of them.
Fury's a badass demon hybrid :D While she felt a bit more passive in this instalment, I still really liked her. She's fun and had my kind of humour. She never gave up and had a decent head on her shoulders.
Roman, Dorian and Ezra, all had their issues but going forward they need to get their heads in the game or they will lose everything, including Fury.
What I liked was that they all felt real. Again, not just the main characters, but side characters as well. I mean, what about Jules, she is so cool! :D I cant wait to get to know more about her!

Pacing and flow:
I actually didn't read it in one go (yeah, I know... shocker!) as I had so much other work to do, UGH!
But that said, the pacing and flow were really good. It read super smooth and never felt rushed or drawn out.
There was a lot of action going on, but well balanced with the conversations that kept the story moving forward.

The book:
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is sex described (if that is important to you).
The book was 436 pages long, spread over 31 chapters and told from different points of view (though mainly Fury's).

Final thoughts:
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and all in all it was a good and enjoyable read. A good follow up from the first instalment that set the stage perfectly for the third book. While it felt a bit slower than the first, there was still a lot of action and some major reveals going on!
Profile Image for Vanessa (bookfairy95).
1,305 reviews139 followers
July 31, 2021
This book!!😍😍 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It was fantastic!!💖💖

So, if you didn't remember what happened in book 1 (which isn't even possible in my opinion, because the entire book, but especially the ending was branded into my mind🤣), don't worry! Kel and Aurelia got you. You can of course reread book 1, cause it was so good, but you certainly don't need to, cause you get a pretty good recap from someone special.😉

#WhiteRaven starts of relatively slow. There are a lot of things to figure out after what happened in #DarkHorse and Fury obviously have to take care of that first. But when it picked up in pace? Make sure you fasten your seatbelts 'cause you're in for a ride!😱 Again!😂🔥

Second book syndrome? Not with #KelCarpenter & #AureliaJane 🙌🏻
We get to know a few more things about the past, more relationship development (and yes, there's smut, but the book is plot focused), we meet characters from book 1 again, we get to know new characters, we still have a snarky Hades and we're getting through a lot of… 'stuff with Fury.
While Fury still has a lot of stuff, a big mouth and didn’t loose her amazing humour, this book has a more serious tone than book 1 for obvious reasons.

I enjoyed it A LOT! I loved seeing the developments, getting to know the guys more, seeing the people around Fury care. The writing style again hooked me right away and it's just such a joy reading these lines! It felt as if it was over way too quickly as especially the last 30% sucked me in so bad. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the pages and stayed awake until the middle of the night to finish this book and then I just couldn't cope with everything I got to know.😂

Aurelia, Kel, you did it again. Fantastic read!!😍😍😍❤
Profile Image for ROMEOISNOTFUNNY.
812 reviews13 followers
June 19, 2023
Holy unicorns on a pub crawl!!!

First of all, funny! So funny! I haven't laughed out loud at the antics of demon since the Sam in the Imp series!
Hades, that crow 🤣 and our Fury, well her reactions and the way she expresses her anger! Had me laughing, especially when described by one of her mates 😂
Her first shift is both trauma filled situations and hilarious when the trauma part of the situation is over, and we are left with Fury in her new shifted form.

I got lost in this world again, and the twist at the end threw me. I wasn't balled over by it, as I started to piece it together a few paragraphs in. Well, almost piece it together, but that twist has me going direct to book three. Sleep be damned !!!

It's pretty non-stop action as the angel makes another move. It's all so confusing as to why it's so personal. It is meant to be confusing, so the authors wrote the book very well.

We get to enjoy more smutty fun, lucky demon 😏 She gets very close to nature with Rowan, and Damien's way of teaching her to use her faie magic...well lets say I'm looking forward to his other methods 😉
But we also get to watch Fury adjust to life and the possibility of having mates, friends, and family. Now, if only she can stay alive to enjoy more of it!

4.6 stars
Profile Image for Rhiannon Chillingworth.
834 reviews220 followers
August 1, 2021
I love this series! While I've mostly fallen out of love for the RH genre, there are a few books or series that remind me why I enjoyed it so much in the first place, and this is one of them.

This series has decent world building, an excellent fmc in Fury, and - a rarity for me in RH nowadays - a harem of guys who are well rounded and individualised characters in their own right, who all have different relationships with Fury and those relationships are each building at a realistic pace.

This is a fun, quick and engaging read and I highly recommend.
Profile Image for thebooksuccubus.
572 reviews41 followers
August 2, 2021
Talk about that ending, way to drop a bomb ladies! Loved this book, was a great continuation from the first book. The growth of the relationship with each of the mates if phenomenal, especially given Fury past was she was alive. She grows some much emotionally through this book. That's not all though she kicks some serious butt in this one as well. So many thing come to the surface in this one. Oh and love the part where the title made sense. Lastly I will say that Bloody Mary comes at a very close second on the secondary characters to Hades.
Profile Image for Perks Of Being A Fangirl.
283 reviews41 followers
August 7, 2021
This being the first series that I've read by the author, I have utterly fallen in love at first read.

I absolutely adore the opening, it's amazing how the authors have captured the distinct voices and personality of each of the characters. They are strong individually and are able to hold their own. Hades is like a cherry on top, I enjoy is semi-overarching narrative roll and it was nice to have a nice easing in back into the action where it may have been months since an individual may have read the first book.

Love the story, the characters euughh everything.
Profile Image for Marisa.
133 reviews
November 3, 2025
What the fuck was that. And why are my eyes slightly leaking for Fury 😭😭😭
I love her but my book heart is breaking for this girl

Also why do I kinda feel slapped in the face because I feel like the book was very slow paced the first 150 pages, which is why it took me longer to read, then POOF PLOT BOMD.

Then BOMB It just got BOMB worse (in BOMB a good way) BOMB BOMB BOMB.
^ This is the best way I can depict how that shit had my mind reeling over the book
Profile Image for Liliana Silva.
162 reviews4 followers
July 31, 2021
Can I just say that Hades is the best character ever?😂
He's hilarious gosh I love him !
If I felt like book 1 was a rollercoaster, second book was even crazier!
I had my suspicions about the Angel but I wasn't expecting the ending!
I'm not sure which Mate I like best yet, it's always changing!
Kel and Aurelia did amazing!!
Profile Image for Cayley.
415 reviews4 followers
Read
September 6, 2023
DNF

Is it me? Am I the problem?

I got to about 40% before giving up. I think what I enjoyed about book one was missing from this book. Humor was lost and the plot was very mid. I had not a lot invested in random daughter showing up and just felt super stalled for me.

I wanted more Hades. More funny demon girl.
Profile Image for Amber.
2,213 reviews60 followers
July 31, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I 👏 LOVE 👏 THIS 👏 SERIES! I want to gush and talk about everything I loved in this book but I can't because I refuse to leave spoilers in my reviews. I can't wait to get the next book because that ending! Ugh!
Profile Image for Karin Dirksen.
572 reviews7 followers
dnf
January 23, 2022
After 1 I gave book 2 the benefit of the doubt, but halfway in I find that there is little improvement in the romantic department (no real connection or even spark that would lead to a lifelong happy matebond) and the plot lost its shine (we all see where this going right?!). The FMC also became more of a reactive damsel rather than a proactive fixer she was in book 1.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
210 reviews
August 24, 2024
I really need my friends to read this so we can discuss and laugh about the white raven 😂 I don’t hand out 5 stars often, but this book earned it. I was heading toward a 3.5 until the last portion of the book and we were back up ⬆️ 📈
Profile Image for Nadia.
838 reviews24 followers
July 31, 2021
I so appreciated the recap in the beginning of the book.
Review to come
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