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Captive of Raven Castle
A wild cry was raised and the carriage bolted into full gallop, tossing Alexandra back into her seat. Hesitantly she peeked out between the curtain. There was a lone rider urging the horses on.A rider in plain clothes.Not one of her father’s men.Nor one of the ambassador’s men.He was from Raven Castle.The troubled people of war-torn Chambria are on the brink of starvation, and a delicate princess with a recurring nightmare is their only hope. Alexandra knows that her value to her country consists mainly in her ability to marry well, but when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken to meet the man claiming to be both Chambria’s true king and her real father, her entire world falls apart. Will Princess Alexandra be able to untangle the web of lies and discern who is the true king and her father?
337 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2013
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389 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 27, 2024
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). First off, the cover. I LOVE THE COVER. Next, the title. It is soooo intriguing. I have been so eager to read this and it did not disappoint!
I really liked Alexandra/Cassandra. At first she bugged me but I quickly related to her. She became very inspiring, in fact. I loved her femininity and courage and brains and humility. And I related sooo much to her anxiety and fear of not being enough.
Taleon was awesome. I loved Taleon from the very beginning and I loved him the whole way through. He was so responsible, wise, brave, good, kind! So steady. He was amazing with Cassandra.
King Aric was another awesome being. Basically the perfect “king figure” melded with the perfect “wise, broken, hopefully knight” figure. So kinda like Robert the Bruce. Anyways. I loved him and he was an amazing father.
Brendan was adorableness personified the whole book through. I loved Lord Keenan and Cook. The other characters were nice too. And the villain was an epically awful villain who was way too believable—you KNEW things were hopeless when he was around!
The setting was a fantasy land in a fantasy world, I suppose, since the bordering countries don’t exist—but it was nonmagical, totally our everyday world. I found the politics surprisingly easy to understand and very realistic. The writing style was a little weak, but I hardly noticed and it didn’t bother me, especially the deeper I got involved into the story. And really, I don’t know how she pulled it off, but it was a medieval setting with modern-talking characters and everything was perfect. And there were some really lovely bits, and soo much humour.
The plot. Oh man. The plot. It starts off with a bang (something banging against Alexandra’s carriage, to be correct) and until the very last chapter you are on the edge of your seat. Kidnapping, sword fight, castle life, romance, happy family time, spying, extreme danger… it was awesome. I LOVED how she added the girl-learns-to-fight part totally as a defence thing and doesn’t have Cassandra become a prodigy right away. The character arcs were amazing. The climax was twist after twist and it totally broke my heart for the characters several times. It had all the typical medieval adventure tropes but totally spun them on their heads and I loved it. (There were 2 torture scenes; I found them borderline too much emotionally, but they weren’t graphic.)
Did I mention the romance? Very slowburn, very sweet… and a perfect match. I loved it. While I disliked how much they touched in general, I appreciated that 99% of the touching wasn’t romantic at all. They were a lovely ship.
Themes, messages, topics—ahhhhh, my heart! Sooo good. The theme about forgiving yourself, picking yourself up when you fall, and moving forwards was epic. The message of doing your best and that being enough? Absolutely ah-maze-zing. The theme of caring for others? Yesssss. The theme of finding truth? Check, check, check.
Overall… so satisfying. Medieval kingdom fiction that I can really love. <33
A Favourite Quote: “You can’t undo what your past has done to you, but you can change your future, and you aren’t going to make a change until you look past what you have already done and let it go.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: She looked once again to the mountains. They glowed with red and pink as if they were on fire, ready to burn for the cause. Slowly the sun slipped behind the mountains. The vivid colors in the sky were fading swiftly. In the east, the first stars were daring to glimmer.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “What are you doing?” asked Cassandra.
“Toasting bread and cheese. Don’t tell me you have never had this before.”
“Then what should I tell you?”
“The truth.”
“But the truth is I have never had it before.”
I really liked Alexandra/Cassandra. At first she bugged me but I quickly related to her. She became very inspiring, in fact. I loved her femininity and courage and brains and humility. And I related sooo much to her anxiety and fear of not being enough.
Taleon was awesome. I loved Taleon from the very beginning and I loved him the whole way through. He was so responsible, wise, brave, good, kind! So steady. He was amazing with Cassandra.
King Aric was another awesome being. Basically the perfect “king figure” melded with the perfect “wise, broken, hopefully knight” figure. So kinda like Robert the Bruce. Anyways. I loved him and he was an amazing father.
Brendan was adorableness personified the whole book through. I loved Lord Keenan and Cook. The other characters were nice too. And the villain was an epically awful villain who was way too believable—you KNEW things were hopeless when he was around!
The setting was a fantasy land in a fantasy world, I suppose, since the bordering countries don’t exist—but it was nonmagical, totally our everyday world. I found the politics surprisingly easy to understand and very realistic. The writing style was a little weak, but I hardly noticed and it didn’t bother me, especially the deeper I got involved into the story. And really, I don’t know how she pulled it off, but it was a medieval setting with modern-talking characters and everything was perfect. And there were some really lovely bits, and soo much humour.
The plot. Oh man. The plot. It starts off with a bang (something banging against Alexandra’s carriage, to be correct) and until the very last chapter you are on the edge of your seat. Kidnapping, sword fight, castle life, romance, happy family time, spying, extreme danger… it was awesome. I LOVED how she added the girl-learns-to-fight part totally as a defence thing and doesn’t have Cassandra become a prodigy right away. The character arcs were amazing. The climax was twist after twist and it totally broke my heart for the characters several times. It had all the typical medieval adventure tropes but totally spun them on their heads and I loved it. (There were 2 torture scenes; I found them borderline too much emotionally, but they weren’t graphic.)
Did I mention the romance? Very slowburn, very sweet… and a perfect match. I loved it. While I disliked how much they touched in general, I appreciated that 99% of the touching wasn’t romantic at all. They were a lovely ship.
Themes, messages, topics—ahhhhh, my heart! Sooo good. The theme about forgiving yourself, picking yourself up when you fall, and moving forwards was epic. The message of doing your best and that being enough? Absolutely ah-maze-zing. The theme of caring for others? Yesssss. The theme of finding truth? Check, check, check.
Overall… so satisfying. Medieval kingdom fiction that I can really love. <33
A Favourite Quote: “You can’t undo what your past has done to you, but you can change your future, and you aren’t going to make a change until you look past what you have already done and let it go.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: She looked once again to the mountains. They glowed with red and pink as if they were on fire, ready to burn for the cause. Slowly the sun slipped behind the mountains. The vivid colors in the sky were fading swiftly. In the east, the first stars were daring to glimmer.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “What are you doing?” asked Cassandra.
“Toasting bread and cheese. Don’t tell me you have never had this before.”
“Then what should I tell you?”
“The truth.”
“But the truth is I have never had it before.”
July 14, 2014
http://kiribeth.blogspot.com/2014/01/...
I love fantasy stories, so ever since I heard the Jessica was working on this story, I was eager to read it. I liked this one better than her previous book (Annabeth's War), because the characters had more depth to them. You really get to know the main characters, and their voices stay with you after you finish the book. Alexandra I was almost predisposed to be annoyed with because she seemed like she was going to be a scared damsel and idiot from the first chapter, but that goes to show how first appearances can be deceiving. She had a lot of character development, and I liked her a lot by the end.
The plot moved rather quickly at first, and it immediately caught my attention from the first page. Things slowed down some near the middle, but Jessica did a great job of keeping the intrigue and suspense up that kept me reading so that I might find out what happened next and how everything was going to turn out in the end. A major twist near the end surprised me, but it played very well into the rest of the novel, and I have to applaud Jessica for that. The end was a bit rushed, I felt, but satisfying.
Advisory: This novel was definitely more violent than Annabeth's War, but it wasn't anything terribly graphic. There are some bloody scenes and sword fights, and for that, I'd recommend the book for readers 12 and up.
There is also some romance between two characters, and while there was a lot of physical contact between them (i.e. hand-holding), it didn't get out of control, and I thought Jessica portrayed it well.
I love fantasy stories, so ever since I heard the Jessica was working on this story, I was eager to read it. I liked this one better than her previous book (Annabeth's War), because the characters had more depth to them. You really get to know the main characters, and their voices stay with you after you finish the book. Alexandra I was almost predisposed to be annoyed with because she seemed like she was going to be a scared damsel and idiot from the first chapter, but that goes to show how first appearances can be deceiving. She had a lot of character development, and I liked her a lot by the end.
The plot moved rather quickly at first, and it immediately caught my attention from the first page. Things slowed down some near the middle, but Jessica did a great job of keeping the intrigue and suspense up that kept me reading so that I might find out what happened next and how everything was going to turn out in the end. A major twist near the end surprised me, but it played very well into the rest of the novel, and I have to applaud Jessica for that. The end was a bit rushed, I felt, but satisfying.
Advisory: This novel was definitely more violent than Annabeth's War, but it wasn't anything terribly graphic. There are some bloody scenes and sword fights, and for that, I'd recommend the book for readers 12 and up.
There is also some romance between two characters, and while there was a lot of physical contact between them (i.e. hand-holding), it didn't get out of control, and I thought Jessica portrayed it well.
December 19, 2024
Reread 2024
Original review from 2015
The characters came to life and were enjoyable to read about; the heroine grew on me eventually, and I really liked Taleon! Aric was cool, and baby Brandon entirely adorable. I loved the medieval setting in this place called Chambria -- it pulled me right in. Raven Castle came very much alive to me. I quickly realized this was a story focused on character growth which was a nice change from a constantly exciting book. Granted, there was excitement and peril near the end (so don't worry if you like your books more action-y) but I also enjoyed the leisurely time spent getting to know the characters and spent in sweet little moments of touching encounters with people. The dialogue especially was great fun to read, and the heroine and Taleon were a fun pair to read about. I like them very much. :)
There were a couple story threads I expected more to happen with but didn't (Arthur, for example...) which was slightly disappointing, but overall it turned out far better than I expected, and I find that I greatly enjoyed it! I'll be looking for more from this author.
Overall, while there were some issues, it mostly made up for it with the characters and story itself. It's a good adventure if you like more of a focus on deep and loveable characters and great dialog, with some scariness near the end to keep you on the edge of your seat. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Original review from 2015
The characters came to life and were enjoyable to read about; the heroine grew on me eventually, and I really liked Taleon! Aric was cool, and baby Brandon entirely adorable. I loved the medieval setting in this place called Chambria -- it pulled me right in. Raven Castle came very much alive to me. I quickly realized this was a story focused on character growth which was a nice change from a constantly exciting book. Granted, there was excitement and peril near the end (so don't worry if you like your books more action-y) but I also enjoyed the leisurely time spent getting to know the characters and spent in sweet little moments of touching encounters with people. The dialogue especially was great fun to read, and the heroine and Taleon were a fun pair to read about. I like them very much. :)
There were a couple story threads I expected more to happen with but didn't (Arthur, for example...) which was slightly disappointing, but overall it turned out far better than I expected, and I find that I greatly enjoyed it! I'll be looking for more from this author.
Overall, while there were some issues, it mostly made up for it with the characters and story itself. It's a good adventure if you like more of a focus on deep and loveable characters and great dialog, with some scariness near the end to keep you on the edge of your seat. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
November 1, 2020
Wow is the only word to describe Jessica Greyson's newest book. I read it all in one day because it was so awesome. The one thing that struck me in this book as better than Annabeth's War was how much depth she gave the characters. I really got to know these character's hearts, how they reacted in any circumstance, and also a bit more about their physical appearance which helped me imagine them so much better.
I only have two complaints, one the first 100 pages were infuriating because of all the confusion but that quickly disappeared as you get to know the story. Also, Jessica's books are NEVER long enough, they couldn't be long enough to satisfy me, at the first quarter I was wondering how she was going to drag it out but by the halfway mark I was wondering how she was going to finish up.
Overall this book was AWESOME, I don't think Jessica Greyson could come up with a bad plot. I'm looking forward to reading her next book when it comes out!
2020>> This is a story that improves as I grow older. Though there are still some plot problems, I love Alexiandria and Taleon. They were fantastic leads, and I appreciated their friendship.
I only have two complaints, one the first 100 pages were infuriating because of all the confusion but that quickly disappeared as you get to know the story. Also, Jessica's books are NEVER long enough, they couldn't be long enough to satisfy me, at the first quarter I was wondering how she was going to drag it out but by the halfway mark I was wondering how she was going to finish up.
Overall this book was AWESOME, I don't think Jessica Greyson could come up with a bad plot. I'm looking forward to reading her next book when it comes out!
2020>> This is a story that improves as I grow older. Though there are still some plot problems, I love Alexiandria and Taleon. They were fantastic leads, and I appreciated their friendship.
September 29, 2014
Age Appropriate For: 13 and up for very mild romance and mild violence
Best for Ages: 13 to 25
Even though I knew that none of Greyson’s books could ever come close to AnnaBeth’s War, I have been looking forward to Captive of Raven Castle. From page one I was sucked into the story and I found myself loving this book even more than AnnaBeth’s War. How is that even possible?
Alexandra tugged at my heart, as everything that she has ever known is challenged after she is kidnapped. Everything from who is king, who her father is, who are her friends and who are her enemies. Some people found her frustratingly slow, but I felt sorry for her and her slowness understandable.
Taleon made an awesome hero, almost as awesome as Ransom. His kindness and patience with Alexandra was as touching as the moments he pushed her to face the lies she had always believed. There was a bit of romance, with some hand-holding and dancing, but that is as far as it went.
This story was a bit more violent than AnnaBeth’s War, but nothing was too graphic. This story was different, but so amazing. It was gripping and kept me turning pages. I loved every page, and I will be rereading it in the future.
I highly recommend this book for those who love adventure, princess, and strong female characters.
Best for Ages: 13 to 25
Even though I knew that none of Greyson’s books could ever come close to AnnaBeth’s War, I have been looking forward to Captive of Raven Castle. From page one I was sucked into the story and I found myself loving this book even more than AnnaBeth’s War. How is that even possible?
Alexandra tugged at my heart, as everything that she has ever known is challenged after she is kidnapped. Everything from who is king, who her father is, who are her friends and who are her enemies. Some people found her frustratingly slow, but I felt sorry for her and her slowness understandable.
Taleon made an awesome hero, almost as awesome as Ransom. His kindness and patience with Alexandra was as touching as the moments he pushed her to face the lies she had always believed. There was a bit of romance, with some hand-holding and dancing, but that is as far as it went.
This story was a bit more violent than AnnaBeth’s War, but nothing was too graphic. This story was different, but so amazing. It was gripping and kept me turning pages. I loved every page, and I will be rereading it in the future.
I highly recommend this book for those who love adventure, princess, and strong female characters.
November 22, 2015
Captive of Raven Castle is Jessica Greyson’s second novel. After reading her first, Annabeth’s War (and loving it!), I was really excited to read this one.
Alexandra is going to be the next queen. But she is sickly, weak, never questioning… and believes she will live perhaps long enough to bear an heir for the throne. Then one fateful day, her carefully-laid-out life changes forever when she is snatched by one of the rebels from Raven Castle. There at the notorious fortress, Alexandra is pummeled left and right with things she just cannot comprehend. Could her whole life have been a lie? Could Aeric and Taleon actually be potential loved ones instead of foes?
Captive of Raven Castle started out fast-paced and exciting. I was quickly drawn into Alexandra’s world, and the sinister twists and turns going on. There were some mysterious revelations, and unexpected happenings. Love and poignant lessons abounded. Jessica Greyson writes in a more simple way that is mostly easy and fun to read. Her book has just a touch of romance, sweet and endearing; yet bears quite a few violent or gruesome scenes/conversations, so I would caution younger readers. I myself would prefer not to know how an evil guy is planning to kill someone… but yeah.
Alexandra/Cassandra was an interesting, even unusual character. I liked how she was so real! Not like some tough, I-can-protect-myself!, super heroine kind of woman, but instead a confused and rather frightened girl who is struggling to cope with the change being thrown at her, and with the courage to do what she utterly fears. All her spurts of emotion made her more life-like to me.
You’ll see in the end that the heroine of this story is sort of “let down” by those she loved. It was kind of hard for me to comprehend this. Could a father really choose something else above his daughter’s life? It kind of felt like there was too much weight put on being king. However, the reasons did become clearer and more sound as the story progressed. I suppose I would just have liked it if the father prayed, and then let his daughter go because he felt that that’s what God was directing him to do, and trusted Him to take care of her! Perhaps that’s what he did…
Anyway, an adventurous, surprising, and fun story overall. It did have a darker theme, but ended quite well. The Captive of Raven Castle is a poignant historical of war, sacrifice, and joyous reunions.
Alexandra is going to be the next queen. But she is sickly, weak, never questioning… and believes she will live perhaps long enough to bear an heir for the throne. Then one fateful day, her carefully-laid-out life changes forever when she is snatched by one of the rebels from Raven Castle. There at the notorious fortress, Alexandra is pummeled left and right with things she just cannot comprehend. Could her whole life have been a lie? Could Aeric and Taleon actually be potential loved ones instead of foes?
Captive of Raven Castle started out fast-paced and exciting. I was quickly drawn into Alexandra’s world, and the sinister twists and turns going on. There were some mysterious revelations, and unexpected happenings. Love and poignant lessons abounded. Jessica Greyson writes in a more simple way that is mostly easy and fun to read. Her book has just a touch of romance, sweet and endearing; yet bears quite a few violent or gruesome scenes/conversations, so I would caution younger readers. I myself would prefer not to know how an evil guy is planning to kill someone… but yeah.
Alexandra/Cassandra was an interesting, even unusual character. I liked how she was so real! Not like some tough, I-can-protect-myself!, super heroine kind of woman, but instead a confused and rather frightened girl who is struggling to cope with the change being thrown at her, and with the courage to do what she utterly fears. All her spurts of emotion made her more life-like to me.
You’ll see in the end that the heroine of this story is sort of “let down” by those she loved. It was kind of hard for me to comprehend this. Could a father really choose something else above his daughter’s life? It kind of felt like there was too much weight put on being king. However, the reasons did become clearer and more sound as the story progressed. I suppose I would just have liked it if the father prayed, and then let his daughter go because he felt that that’s what God was directing him to do, and trusted Him to take care of her! Perhaps that’s what he did…
Anyway, an adventurous, surprising, and fun story overall. It did have a darker theme, but ended quite well. The Captive of Raven Castle is a poignant historical of war, sacrifice, and joyous reunions.
September 25, 2018
Well, this was certainly an interesting and original plot! Not what immediately springs to mind when you hear "princess kidnapped and taken to an enemy stronghold." :)
I liked the characters for the most part, although I felt like some of them went through a lot of changes, and while each of them was portrayed pretty well, we didn't really feel the gradual shift between them. I also felt like the princess could have been a little smarter with which sentiments she expressed in front of which people--especially after the first time or two. :S
The style felt awkward at times, and there were quite a few editing errors that distracted me a bit. There were so many things going on and lessons being taught that at times it felt a bit disjointed. But I still enjoyed the story overall and appreciated the fresh and interesting concept.
Content--swordplay, including wounds and deaths; mentions of torture; ; several gruesome threats made and nearly carried out
I liked the characters for the most part, although I felt like some of them went through a lot of changes, and while each of them was portrayed pretty well, we didn't really feel the gradual shift between them. I also felt like the princess could have been a little smarter with which sentiments she expressed in front of which people--especially after the first time or two. :S
The style felt awkward at times, and there were quite a few editing errors that distracted me a bit. There were so many things going on and lessons being taught that at times it felt a bit disjointed. But I still enjoyed the story overall and appreciated the fresh and interesting concept.
Content--swordplay, including wounds and deaths; mentions of torture; ; several gruesome threats made and nearly carried out
September 25, 2015
I enjoyed Jessica Greyson's other novel, Annabeth's War, and was eager to dive into this book. It was even better than Annabeth's War and kept me hooked from the beginning. This book had some good characters and great struggles and battles to overcome. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and stories of faith and forgiveness. Looking forward to reading any other books by Ms. Greyson!
December 1, 2021
Jessica Greyson is a new to me author and I enjoyed Captive of Raven Castle. Cassandra really annoyed me at first. She was whiny, self centered and naive, but that was how she was supposed to be. It gave her a lot of room to grow and throughout the book she really did grow and change. I enjoyed the character development for her. It took its time and didn't happen all at once. I still found her a bit whiny, but much more likeable. Unfortunately, she was the only character that we really saw and got to know. I would have liked to see more character development for Taleon as well. There was a little, but not a lot. Because of this I really didn't connect with the characters much. There were also some typos throughout the book. It could have used some polishing. That being said, I think Jessica Greyson has a lot of potential as an author and I would definitely read more or her books. The action was really interesting and the romance was slow and sweet. I loved that the characters had strong faith in God and trusted Him to be with them. I thought there were a lot of parallels between this book and God, the true King, returning for His kingdom and I really loved that.
May 14, 2019
Eng below:
Esta ha sido para mí una de las historias más preciosas que he tenido la dicha de leer, está en mi top 5 de este año. La autora, Jessica Greyson ha sido una maravillosa hacedora de historias independiente que realmente me ha sorprendido y con un gran talento para escribir. La historia está llena de alegorías cristianas, lo que me pareció maravilloso ya que conforme iba adentrándome en la historia también iba descubriendo las referencias hacia la vida cristiana aunque de una manera muy sutil y natural. La historia se centra en Alexandra que tendrá que descubrir por sí misma la verdad al ser secuestrada y notificada de que toda su vida anterior ha sido una mentira. Debo confesar que al principio la protagonista me pareció odiosa, aunque después traté de ponerme en sus zapatos y me pareció que su reacción y actitud era normal, lo bueno es que pronto va cambiando su actitud y se transforma en una verdadera princesa que da su vida por los demás. Alexandra, cuenta con la yuda de Taleon. ¡Oh, Taleon! Él definitivamente es mi personaje favorito de la historia además del Rey Aric que resulta ser muy amoroso y noble, y que representa muy bien alegóricamente a Dios.
Taleon fue un personaje tan noble, aguerrido y un verdadero príncipe de Dios, que hizo mi corazón latir y emocionarse. Me encantó totalmente toda la historia y sin duda, será una de las historias que más recuerde con todo mi corazón.
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This has been for me one of the most beautiful stories I have had the joy of reading, it is in my top 5 this year. The author, Jessica Greyson has been a wonderful independent story maker who has really surprised me and has a great talent for writing. History is full of Christian allegories, which I thought was wonderful because as I went deeper into history I was also discovering the references to the Christian life although in a very subtle and natural way. The story centers on Alexandra who will have to discover for herself the truth of being kidnapped and notified that her entire previous life has been a lie. I must confess that at first the protagonist seemed odious to me, although later I tried to put myself in her shoes and I thought her reaction and attitude was normal, the good thing is that she soon changes her attitude and becomes a real princess who gives her life for others. Alexandra,in the process of learning who she really is, receives the help of Taleon. Oh, Taleon! He is definitely my favorite character in the story besides King Aric who turns out to be very loving and noble, and who represents God very well allegorically.
Taleon was such a noble, courageous character and a true Prince of God, that made my heart beat and move. I totally loved the whole story and without a doubt, it will be one of the stories I remember most with all my heart.
Esta ha sido para mí una de las historias más preciosas que he tenido la dicha de leer, está en mi top 5 de este año. La autora, Jessica Greyson ha sido una maravillosa hacedora de historias independiente que realmente me ha sorprendido y con un gran talento para escribir. La historia está llena de alegorías cristianas, lo que me pareció maravilloso ya que conforme iba adentrándome en la historia también iba descubriendo las referencias hacia la vida cristiana aunque de una manera muy sutil y natural. La historia se centra en Alexandra que tendrá que descubrir por sí misma la verdad al ser secuestrada y notificada de que toda su vida anterior ha sido una mentira. Debo confesar que al principio la protagonista me pareció odiosa, aunque después traté de ponerme en sus zapatos y me pareció que su reacción y actitud era normal, lo bueno es que pronto va cambiando su actitud y se transforma en una verdadera princesa que da su vida por los demás. Alexandra, cuenta con la yuda de Taleon. ¡Oh, Taleon! Él definitivamente es mi personaje favorito de la historia además del Rey Aric que resulta ser muy amoroso y noble, y que representa muy bien alegóricamente a Dios.
Taleon fue un personaje tan noble, aguerrido y un verdadero príncipe de Dios, que hizo mi corazón latir y emocionarse. Me encantó totalmente toda la historia y sin duda, será una de las historias que más recuerde con todo mi corazón.
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This has been for me one of the most beautiful stories I have had the joy of reading, it is in my top 5 this year. The author, Jessica Greyson has been a wonderful independent story maker who has really surprised me and has a great talent for writing. History is full of Christian allegories, which I thought was wonderful because as I went deeper into history I was also discovering the references to the Christian life although in a very subtle and natural way. The story centers on Alexandra who will have to discover for herself the truth of being kidnapped and notified that her entire previous life has been a lie. I must confess that at first the protagonist seemed odious to me, although later I tried to put myself in her shoes and I thought her reaction and attitude was normal, the good thing is that she soon changes her attitude and becomes a real princess who gives her life for others. Alexandra,in the process of learning who she really is, receives the help of Taleon. Oh, Taleon! He is definitely my favorite character in the story besides King Aric who turns out to be very loving and noble, and who represents God very well allegorically.
Taleon was such a noble, courageous character and a true Prince of God, that made my heart beat and move. I totally loved the whole story and without a doubt, it will be one of the stories I remember most with all my heart.
January 9, 2014
"Sorry about this. I am afraid she hit her head pretty hard. It will pass, though." Then he uttered under his breath, "I hope."
That, right up there? Yep, it's my favourite quote. Why? Because it sums up most of the time spent at Raven Castle (that is, if you define 'hitting her head' as an amnesia which lasted thirteen years).
It took awhile before I was able to properly get into this book. In fact, the moment that the Princess steps forward in the council, the adventure - for me at least - truly began.
But I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
The Plot:
Alexandra; a chronically sick and frail Princess of a starving land is 'nabbed by the evil rebels of Raven Castle. Upon arrival she is told something which turns her world upside down, a lifetime of lies is revealed - what will she believe?
Three Enjoyable Scenes/Moments:
1. The Monologue by King Archibald. The Evil Monologue.
2. Alexandra isn't a DiD-dy (Damsel in Distress - the 'dy' is there just to avoid confusion.) I read the 'distressing' scene with a feeling of well, distress: "He isn't going to come and save her is he? Please no." He didn't - and that was a highly pleasing fact.
3. The Trap. I wasn't really expecting this ... of course I knew that maybe, just maybe, there would be a risk of discovery. But then wham! Plot twist.
Most Enjoyable Character(s):
King Aric. Lord Keenan.
Most Disliked Character:
I quite liked disliking King Archibald, because he was a definite Evil Villain: evil monologue, cruelty and country domination - it's all there.
Last Thoughts:
There was a quiet Christian element in this book; faith wasn't the central conflict of the book. It wasn't a Christian adventure so much as an adventure which had Christians in it. Does that makes sense?
Click here for a long(ish) version of this review
That, right up there? Yep, it's my favourite quote. Why? Because it sums up most of the time spent at Raven Castle (that is, if you define 'hitting her head' as an amnesia which lasted thirteen years).
It took awhile before I was able to properly get into this book. In fact, the moment that the Princess steps forward in the council, the adventure - for me at least - truly began.
But I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
The Plot:
Alexandra; a chronically sick and frail Princess of a starving land is 'nabbed by the evil rebels of Raven Castle. Upon arrival she is told something which turns her world upside down, a lifetime of lies is revealed - what will she believe?
Three Enjoyable Scenes/Moments:
1. The Monologue by King Archibald. The Evil Monologue.
2. Alexandra isn't a DiD-dy (Damsel in Distress - the 'dy' is there just to avoid confusion.) I read the 'distressing' scene with a feeling of well, distress: "He isn't going to come and save her is he? Please no." He didn't - and that was a highly pleasing fact.
3. The Trap. I wasn't really expecting this ... of course I knew that maybe, just maybe, there would be a risk of discovery. But then wham! Plot twist.
Most Enjoyable Character(s):
King Aric. Lord Keenan.
Most Disliked Character:
I quite liked disliking King Archibald, because he was a definite Evil Villain: evil monologue, cruelty and country domination - it's all there.
Last Thoughts:
There was a quiet Christian element in this book; faith wasn't the central conflict of the book. It wasn't a Christian adventure so much as an adventure which had Christians in it. Does that makes sense?
Click here for a long(ish) version of this review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2014
About the Book:
The troubled people of war-torn Chambria are on the brink of starvation, and a delicate princess with a recurring nightmare is their only hope. Alexandra knows that her value to her country consists mainly in her ability to marry well, but when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken to meet the man claiming to be both Chambria’s true king and her real father, her entire world falls apart. Will Princess Alexandra be able to untangle the web of lies and discern who is the true king and her father?
My Thoughts:
When I heard that Jessica Greyson was coming out with a new book, I was absolutely ecstatic. I had loved her first book Annabeth's War, and was thrilled that she was coming out with a new book. So, I had super high expectations going into this book, and honestly, I wasn't let down a bit. In the beginning of the book, the main character, Cassandra/Alexandra was a bit of a snob, and I didn't like her a bit. However, as the story progressed, she grew on me, and by the end of the book, I admired her.
Like her other book Annabeth's War, this was an adventure story, and I really enjoyed the high- energy of this book. It had me captivated from start to finish, and I loved the way the story progressed. Jessica Greyson's working of the characters was wonderful. She made me love the good characters and hate the bad (Like anyone could like Archibald. Seriously. He was horrible). The story is not necessarily romance, but there are some romantic scenes in this book.
I really appreciate that there is no kissing or intimate romantic scenes. It makes me respect the characters and especially the authoress. There was a satisfying ending to the story which closed it up in such a wonderful way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to read any more of Jessica Greyson's books. I'd recommend this book to those ages 13 and up.
The troubled people of war-torn Chambria are on the brink of starvation, and a delicate princess with a recurring nightmare is their only hope. Alexandra knows that her value to her country consists mainly in her ability to marry well, but when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken to meet the man claiming to be both Chambria’s true king and her real father, her entire world falls apart. Will Princess Alexandra be able to untangle the web of lies and discern who is the true king and her father?
My Thoughts:
When I heard that Jessica Greyson was coming out with a new book, I was absolutely ecstatic. I had loved her first book Annabeth's War, and was thrilled that she was coming out with a new book. So, I had super high expectations going into this book, and honestly, I wasn't let down a bit. In the beginning of the book, the main character, Cassandra/Alexandra was a bit of a snob, and I didn't like her a bit. However, as the story progressed, she grew on me, and by the end of the book, I admired her.
Like her other book Annabeth's War, this was an adventure story, and I really enjoyed the high- energy of this book. It had me captivated from start to finish, and I loved the way the story progressed. Jessica Greyson's working of the characters was wonderful. She made me love the good characters and hate the bad (Like anyone could like Archibald. Seriously. He was horrible). The story is not necessarily romance, but there are some romantic scenes in this book.
I really appreciate that there is no kissing or intimate romantic scenes. It makes me respect the characters and especially the authoress. There was a satisfying ending to the story which closed it up in such a wonderful way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to read any more of Jessica Greyson's books. I'd recommend this book to those ages 13 and up.
June 29, 2018
I just could not get on with this book as much as the last one. At the heart of it, its a simple YA story about a spoiled and sheltered Princess who finds out that she has been lied to for most of her life, and her father is not her father. She has to grow up, and learn to fulfill her true role and destiny.
Although its supposed to be Medieval type fantasy, a lot of the time, I felt there was nothing remotely 'historical' about it. Or rather, there was no sense of period at all. It just felt modern, with modern speech and references to a bottle-feeding a baby and chocolate. As another reviewer said, there's almost nothing to distinguish this invented world from our own.
One reference the capital city of the fictional country called Chambria as 'The Capitol, Chambria' had me confused. Obviously, it has the same name as the country, but Capitol, with an 'O' made me think of The White House, and in fact, the word when spelled that way it refers to 'a building that houses a country's legislative branch'.
The correct spelling for the capital city of a country is spelling just like that, with an 'a'.
Princess Alexandra, or rather Cassandra, was supposed to be 13, but acted like a 6 year old for part of the book. I mean, I understand she was supposed to have been spoiled and sheltered and everything, but her standard response to any situation just seemed to be to run away or start crying.
Her character changed and the story did improve from about halfway through, and Cassandra became a better character overall, and Taleon, the male hero started to develop as well. I started to care about them a little more and to find out how things would pan out. Also the descriptions of the land and 'use' of the landscape in the story were well done.
So overall, this was a decent adventure story for Young Adults, but for me, the setting was not really credible.
Although its supposed to be Medieval type fantasy, a lot of the time, I felt there was nothing remotely 'historical' about it. Or rather, there was no sense of period at all. It just felt modern, with modern speech and references to a bottle-feeding a baby and chocolate. As another reviewer said, there's almost nothing to distinguish this invented world from our own.
One reference the capital city of the fictional country called Chambria as 'The Capitol, Chambria' had me confused. Obviously, it has the same name as the country, but Capitol, with an 'O' made me think of The White House, and in fact, the word when spelled that way it refers to 'a building that houses a country's legislative branch'.
The correct spelling for the capital city of a country is spelling just like that, with an 'a'.
Princess Alexandra, or rather Cassandra, was supposed to be 13, but acted like a 6 year old for part of the book. I mean, I understand she was supposed to have been spoiled and sheltered and everything, but her standard response to any situation just seemed to be to run away or start crying.
Her character changed and the story did improve from about halfway through, and Cassandra became a better character overall, and Taleon, the male hero started to develop as well. I started to care about them a little more and to find out how things would pan out. Also the descriptions of the land and 'use' of the landscape in the story were well done.
So overall, this was a decent adventure story for Young Adults, but for me, the setting was not really credible.
November 19, 2014
I really enjoyed the story. It started a little too fast for my taste. I didn't feel like I had enough time to know the character before the trials came. But that was quickly remedied as the story went on, and I enjoyed the character development of Alexandra.
I love fantasy stories that don't have magic and strange creatures, their just set in a made up world and this story fits that well.
I love fantasy stories that don't have magic and strange creatures, their just set in a made up world and this story fits that well.
May 16, 2017
What a journey this book has brought me on. So much happened in such a short time. I laughed, I cried, and I occasionally cringed. The dialogue between characters was amazing as well. Despite the occasional grammar mistake and typo, this book was wonderful and so fun to read. I can't wait to read another one of Jessica Greyson's books.
June 1, 2016
This was as good as Annabeth's War. Different enough, but with the same writing style and some similar circumstances. I think Alexandra's reaction to being told that every thing she believed was false was very realistic.
February 10, 2020
Heads up, I've been sick for about 5 days now and I not only read this while sick but I'm reviewing while still under the weather so any rambling, incoherent sentences, or other jibberish I'm going to blame on that.
Alexandra is a naive princess who gets kidnapped early on in the book and brought to Raven Castle where she's told that she is not anything she believes. She's told not even her name is what she believes it is.
Most of the story is about Alexandra's battle to find the truth, accept the truth, and then act on it. She barely leaves the castle, interacts with only a few people, and in general it's more about self-discovery than anything else.
Being bedridden when I read this, it's possible I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I would when up and about, but I so NEEDED something simple. I don't think I could've handled a very complex story and what I can say is this is what I needed for that day. A simple, sweet story.
I thought somethings could've been answered better. I think the romance jumped too quickly from cautious friends to we love each other. And I think more characters would've been nice.
Alexandra has a bad interaction with a servant early on and never sees the lady again. It seemed weird she didn't have another awkward encounter with her or even a time where she saw her and apologized. Same with the childhood acquaintance. She saw her once, fled from the room in denial, and NEVER sees/talks to her again. Judith, her only named contact in the palace besides the ruling king. Seems like a nice lady despite her working for team evil. But we don't get anything from her at the end. No, why did she do it? What happened to her? Did she love Alexandra despite batting for the bad guy? Did she decide to go along with deceiving Alexandra because she was worried about who Alexandra would have taking care of her if Judith got sacked? Or was she really just that good of an actor who didn't care beans about Alexandra?
There are so few named characters in this book that to have a good percentage of them lack more details was frustrating.
There were some twists, the villain managed to hit new depths of evil, and overall it wrapped up nicely. As I said, I probably wouldn't have liked this AS much if I'd been more lucid but it was the perfect book for that day.
Alexandra is a naive princess who gets kidnapped early on in the book and brought to Raven Castle where she's told that she is not anything she believes. She's told not even her name is what she believes it is.
Most of the story is about Alexandra's battle to find the truth, accept the truth, and then act on it. She barely leaves the castle, interacts with only a few people, and in general it's more about self-discovery than anything else.
Being bedridden when I read this, it's possible I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I would when up and about, but I so NEEDED something simple. I don't think I could've handled a very complex story and what I can say is this is what I needed for that day. A simple, sweet story.
I thought somethings could've been answered better. I think the romance jumped too quickly from cautious friends to we love each other. And I think more characters would've been nice.
Alexandra has a bad interaction with a servant early on and never sees the lady again. It seemed weird she didn't have another awkward encounter with her or even a time where she saw her and apologized. Same with the childhood acquaintance. She saw her once, fled from the room in denial, and NEVER sees/talks to her again. Judith, her only named contact in the palace besides the ruling king. Seems like a nice lady despite her working for team evil. But we don't get anything from her at the end. No, why did she do it? What happened to her? Did she love Alexandra despite batting for the bad guy? Did she decide to go along with deceiving Alexandra because she was worried about who Alexandra would have taking care of her if Judith got sacked? Or was she really just that good of an actor who didn't care beans about Alexandra?
There are so few named characters in this book that to have a good percentage of them lack more details was frustrating.
There were some twists, the villain managed to hit new depths of evil, and overall it wrapped up nicely. As I said, I probably wouldn't have liked this AS much if I'd been more lucid but it was the perfect book for that day.
March 20, 2017
About the book:
The troubled people of war-torn Chambria are on the brink of starvation, and a delicate princess with a recurring nightmare is their only hope. Alexandra knows that her value to her country consists mainly in her ability to marry well, but when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken to meet the man claiming to be both Chambria’s true king and her real father, her entire world falls apart. Will Princess Alexandra be able to untangle the web of lies and discern who is the true king and her father?
My Thoughts:
Poor sixteen-year-old Alexandra was thrown into a life of uncertainty not knowing whom to believe and who might be her friends or enemies. Her one solace was in taking care of baby Brandon. Fortunately for her Taleon was one who looked after, guided, protected her and helped her find out the truth about her heritage. This book was filled with a lot of details some were on the more graphic side but the romance was mild and of a sweeter nature. Alexandra's character stole my heart and I was hooked from the first page.
I enjoyed this book very much.
The troubled people of war-torn Chambria are on the brink of starvation, and a delicate princess with a recurring nightmare is their only hope. Alexandra knows that her value to her country consists mainly in her ability to marry well, but when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken to meet the man claiming to be both Chambria’s true king and her real father, her entire world falls apart. Will Princess Alexandra be able to untangle the web of lies and discern who is the true king and her father?
My Thoughts:
Poor sixteen-year-old Alexandra was thrown into a life of uncertainty not knowing whom to believe and who might be her friends or enemies. Her one solace was in taking care of baby Brandon. Fortunately for her Taleon was one who looked after, guided, protected her and helped her find out the truth about her heritage. This book was filled with a lot of details some were on the more graphic side but the romance was mild and of a sweeter nature. Alexandra's character stole my heart and I was hooked from the first page.
I enjoyed this book very much.
October 7, 2019
Excellent character development in this medieval fantasy novel with a touch of romance. Fast paced adventure and drama with much gory, but chaste and appropriate for the young adult readers. Somewhat question the reasoning of particular actions ie endangering of Alexandra by sending her back to her evil uncle's castle and/or confusing romantic intentions when her father adopts her beloved which makes matters complicated. Perhaps that is why the ending is left up in the air. FYI: baby bottles were not used in medieval times; possibly leather pouches with holes. Cover does not reflect a sixteen-year-old unless the model is intended to depict Alexandra's mother, despite an enticing title.
July 21, 2019
This book was AMAZING!!!! It kept me up until 11 wondering what was going to happen next. The story had plenty of twists that made me not so sure of the prediction I had made. The writing was not superb, and I had a slightly difficult time understanding what she meant. But other than that, it was an INCREDIBLE story that I wish had a sequel.
May 1, 2022
*Happy sigh*😊
June 24, 2022
It was an okay read.
March 2, 2017
Jessica Greyson has done it again. Set in the same fictional world as her earlier book, Annabeth's War, she has once more managed to write a heroine who beautifully showcases feminine strength. This time, however, you might not recognize it immediately, and the story of the Princess Alexandra is a far different one from that of the Belterran sword master's daughter. The way Alexandra grows and changes throughout the book is delightful to see, and Taleon, as one of those demanding her growth, is one of my favorite characters.
It is Alexandra who I love most, though, and her struggle to understand the truth behind the lies that surround her will catch your imagination and your heart, and hold them both long after you finish reading. This is the story of a girl every inch a princess, and what happens after rebel forces kidnap her and turn her life upside down makes a book you won't want to miss.
Torture and true love, laughter and tears, sword fights and sacrifice: all are woven beautifully together into the unforgettable story of the Captive of Raven Castle.
It is Alexandra who I love most, though, and her struggle to understand the truth behind the lies that surround her will catch your imagination and your heart, and hold them both long after you finish reading. This is the story of a girl every inch a princess, and what happens after rebel forces kidnap her and turn her life upside down makes a book you won't want to miss.
Torture and true love, laughter and tears, sword fights and sacrifice: all are woven beautifully together into the unforgettable story of the Captive of Raven Castle.
March 18, 2025
I’ve enjoyed the other books I’ve read by this author, and this one was no exception! I really enjoyed this novel, the themes, and hint of romance.
August 29, 2015
I enjoyed this book! At the beginning I was a bit annoyed with the main character (she acted a little younger than we were told she was), and I wasn't loving the situation, but after the first several chapters I was hooked. I loved the relationships Alexandra built, especially with the young mother and her baby. Taleon was an intriguing guy, as was Aric, and I soon grew to be fond of them both.
As for plot, once it got over its initial lumps, I found myself enjoying it. The plot twist at the end, although somewhat expected, still managed to make me question whether everyone was getting out alive.
Perhaps the story could've done with a bit more editing, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. If you're into historical-type settings with lots of character growth and a dash of intrigue, this story is for you!
(P.S. Isn't that cover gorgeous?)
As for plot, once it got over its initial lumps, I found myself enjoying it. The plot twist at the end, although somewhat expected, still managed to make me question whether everyone was getting out alive.
Perhaps the story could've done with a bit more editing, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. If you're into historical-type settings with lots of character growth and a dash of intrigue, this story is for you!
(P.S. Isn't that cover gorgeous?)
May 8, 2015
I liked this story. There were some unexpected surprises, and I liked seeing the characters change and grow.
Content: Clean
Content: Clean
April 6, 2021
Such a beautiful cover and the story is so much fun as well.
December 20, 2015
This book needs more editing.
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