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The Eldrystone #1
Headline Eternal House of the Raven A stunning new romantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of A PRINCE SO CRUEL (The Eldrystone).
DANGER LURKS. READY YOURSELF.They exiled him from his realm, and soon, the lone wanderer shall have his revenge.For two decades, Rífíor of the Veilfallen has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who trapped him in the human realm, making him a pariah.Rífíor’s relentless pursuit leads him to uncover his enemy’s well-guarded hiding place, revealing an unexpected twist—the man now has a daughter, the key to what he desires most… a return to his fae home.Valeria is a dreamer. Rífíor is a damaged male. And, through no fault of her own, she finds herself entangled in the throes of his hunger for retribution.But for him, there will be no distraction, even if she becomes a momentary detour, even if he breaks her heart.What he fails to anticipate is Valeria’s fiery spirit, and the countless ways she will make him pay for stealing her innocence—not to mention the tempest of strength he’ll find impossible to bend to his will.Featuring a damaged hero, a fierce heroine, and an amazingly unique world. This is an enemies-to-lovers series suitable for 17+ that grows spicier with every book. Perfect for fans of romantasy.
416 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2024
640 people are currently reading
2655 people want to read
About the author
Ingrid Seymour
110 books961 followersIngrid Seymour is a USA Today Bestselling Author. When she’s not writing books, she spends her time working as a software engineer, cooking exotic recipes, hanging out with her family and working out. She writes young adult and new adult fiction in a variety of genres, including Sci-Fi, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal and horror.
Her favorite outings involve a trip to the library or bookstore where she immediately gravitates toward the YA section. She’s an avid reader and fangirl of many amazing books. She is a dreamer and a fighter who believes perseverance and hard work can make dreams come true.
She lives in Birmingham, AL with her husband, two kids and a cat named Ossie.
Her favorite outings involve a trip to the library or bookstore where she immediately gravitates toward the YA section. She’s an avid reader and fangirl of many amazing books. She is a dreamer and a fighter who believes perseverance and hard work can make dreams come true.
She lives in Birmingham, AL with her husband, two kids and a cat named Ossie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
February 27, 2024
Sadly I didn't enjoy this as much as I was anticipating.
The world building was really great, and the main plot was very interesting and had me wanting to keep reading. I had guessed who the MMC was fairly early on but I wasn't really ever sure about his motives or what was going on with the sister. I loved the magic system and the lore of the humans and the Fae but the romance and the characters fell flat.
There was no tension between the FMC and MMC that made me feel like their sudden lust for each other towards the end made any sense. And having the FMC explain it to herself as "subconsciously camouflaging her emotions as animosity"? Didn't care for that. I love enemies to lovers and a guard/royal forbidden romance but this didn't hit the mark unfortunately. I knew going into this that there wouldn't be much spice but I was at least hoping for some good tension.
Besides the world building and the main plot, I would describe this book as "the FMC tries to escape but gets caught by her guard again and again."
Not sure if I would want to continue this series even knowing it gets spicier in future books, but I am curious about how the FMC is going to handle what happened to her at the end.
The world building was really great, and the main plot was very interesting and had me wanting to keep reading. I had guessed who the MMC was fairly early on but I wasn't really ever sure about his motives or what was going on with the sister. I loved the magic system and the lore of the humans and the Fae but the romance and the characters fell flat.
There was no tension between the FMC and MMC that made me feel like their sudden lust for each other towards the end made any sense. And having the FMC explain it to herself as "subconsciously camouflaging her emotions as animosity"? Didn't care for that. I love enemies to lovers and a guard/royal forbidden romance but this didn't hit the mark unfortunately. I knew going into this that there wouldn't be much spice but I was at least hoping for some good tension.
Besides the world building and the main plot, I would describe this book as "the FMC tries to escape but gets caught by her guard again and again."
Not sure if I would want to continue this series even knowing it gets spicier in future books, but I am curious about how the FMC is going to handle what happened to her at the end.
May 13, 2024
The way this story is told is excellent.
Overall this book does a great job with pacing.
The world-building is decent for the most part.
To me the biggest strength is how incredibly immersed I was into the viewpoint and the emotional landscape of the MC.
The characters are not exceptionally deep but more than complex and flawed enough to be interesting and for meaningful character development to occur.
But I had my share of problems with this one.
There are a bunch of random interlude sections that felt completely pointless. Maybe they were meant to give the world-building more depth and convey a feeling of a persistent world while also imparting random bits of extra world-building that would have been awkward from a first-person POV, but the information is mostly redundant or pointless and unrelated to the story and it doesn't feel like it actually adds anything to the story. These paragraphs are very short so they weren't a huge distraction but they felt more like an imitation of a writing tool, popular in traditional high fantasy, without fully understanding what the tool is actually supposed to do.
Towards the end, there is a buildup of sexual tension that leads to a well-written smut scene but the problem is that the stakes at that point are already so high that worrying about sexual encounters or romantic relationships feels extremely frivolous and rather shallow which took the wind out of the sails a bit.
But the by far biggest problem of this story is that the actual plot delivery is terrible and littered with more holes than there is plot to begin with. The author repeatedly abuses magic to do what she needs to force situations and events in the planned direction. The magic is mostly a do-whatever-I-want license of the author and not a part of the world in any logical or consistent way.
And then there are the clues for the plot. The book does a great job of building tension towards reveals of critical twists in the plot. The problem is that the clues we get beforehand are as subtle and as unobtrusive as Blue's Clues clues are.
I sometimes have the problem that just based on my rather extensive reading experience I can see plot twists coming from a mile away even if they are not actually that obvious or clichéd.
I want to make it exceedingly clear that this is not the case here and any person with halfway working reading comprehension, even if they have never read a fiction book before, would spot every single clue in here immediately. They just are so painfully obvious that all that very well executed tension building almost feels like an insult to me.
It's exasperating to just sit there and read paragraph after paragraph, page after page of "I am going to reveal this incredible twist to you any second now" if the twist is the most lame ass shit ever you have already known about for hours at that point.
I felt like a child sitting in front of a TV, pointing and yelling "A clue, a clue".
Don't spoil your own surprises like that! What the hell are you doing, this was going great.
I feel so conflicted about this book because of these major faux pas' that I don't even want to rate this because it is much better written than probably 90% of what I usually find in the fantasy genre.
If you are the kind of reader that can just turn off your brain or don't feel frustrated by already knowing long-teased reveals and if you don't mind the magic being almost exclusively used as a plot convenience you might have a great time with this one. I am not trying to be passive aggressive here. Lots of people can lower their standards on these things and just enjoy the good parts. I am sadly not one of those.
Will I read the next one anyway? Probably... Don't judge me!
Overall this book does a great job with pacing.
The world-building is decent for the most part.
To me the biggest strength is how incredibly immersed I was into the viewpoint and the emotional landscape of the MC.
The characters are not exceptionally deep but more than complex and flawed enough to be interesting and for meaningful character development to occur.
But I had my share of problems with this one.
There are a bunch of random interlude sections that felt completely pointless. Maybe they were meant to give the world-building more depth and convey a feeling of a persistent world while also imparting random bits of extra world-building that would have been awkward from a first-person POV, but the information is mostly redundant or pointless and unrelated to the story and it doesn't feel like it actually adds anything to the story. These paragraphs are very short so they weren't a huge distraction but they felt more like an imitation of a writing tool, popular in traditional high fantasy, without fully understanding what the tool is actually supposed to do.
Towards the end, there is a buildup of sexual tension that leads to a well-written smut scene but the problem is that the stakes at that point are already so high that worrying about sexual encounters or romantic relationships feels extremely frivolous and rather shallow which took the wind out of the sails a bit.
But the by far biggest problem of this story is that the actual plot delivery is terrible and littered with more holes than there is plot to begin with. The author repeatedly abuses magic to do what she needs to force situations and events in the planned direction. The magic is mostly a do-whatever-I-want license of the author and not a part of the world in any logical or consistent way.
And then there are the clues for the plot. The book does a great job of building tension towards reveals of critical twists in the plot. The problem is that the clues we get beforehand are as subtle and as unobtrusive as Blue's Clues clues are.
I sometimes have the problem that just based on my rather extensive reading experience I can see plot twists coming from a mile away even if they are not actually that obvious or clichéd.
I want to make it exceedingly clear that this is not the case here and any person with halfway working reading comprehension, even if they have never read a fiction book before, would spot every single clue in here immediately. They just are so painfully obvious that all that very well executed tension building almost feels like an insult to me.
It's exasperating to just sit there and read paragraph after paragraph, page after page of "I am going to reveal this incredible twist to you any second now" if the twist is the most lame ass shit ever you have already known about for hours at that point.
I felt like a child sitting in front of a TV, pointing and yelling "A clue, a clue".
Don't spoil your own surprises like that! What the hell are you doing, this was going great.
I feel so conflicted about this book because of these major faux pas' that I don't even want to rate this because it is much better written than probably 90% of what I usually find in the fantasy genre.
If you are the kind of reader that can just turn off your brain or don't feel frustrated by already knowing long-teased reveals and if you don't mind the magic being almost exclusively used as a plot convenience you might have a great time with this one. I am not trying to be passive aggressive here. Lots of people can lower their standards on these things and just enjoy the good parts. I am sadly not one of those.
Will I read the next one anyway? Probably... Don't judge me!
March 11, 2024
House of the Raven by Ingrid Seymour was everything I hoped for and more. From the very first page, Seymour weaves a tale that captivates the imagination and refuses to let go. This 5-star wonder is a must-read for anyone seeking a thrilling journey into a world where magic, mystery, and mayhem collide.
Seymour's world-building is truly enchanting, skillfully weaving Spanish influences and Romani culture into the fabric of the narrative. Within the story, she seizes the opportunity to delve into themes of racism, prejudice, and stereotypes with a subtlety that is both nuanced and impactful. The intricate interplay between the human and fae realms, further complicated by the collapse of the veil, serves to intensify the narrative's tension, leaving readers pondering the question of who truly holds the mantle of the "good guy."
The characters, especially Valeria and River, are well-crafted and complex. Valeria's growth from a naive princess to a resilient force is a testament to Seymour's skill in character development. River, the damaged hero, exudes an irresistible allure, making him a character you simultaneously root for and question.
The plot is a rollercoaster of emotions, with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The pacing is impeccable, allowing for moments of introspection without sacrificing the momentum of the narrative. As the story unfolds, it reveals a rich tapestry of relationships, politics, and a quest for the elusive Eldrystone—a key to unlocking the fae's lost magic.
In House of the Raven, Seymour has truly created a magical blend of suspense, romance, and fantasy that is impossible to resist. With every chapter, the reader is drawn deeper into a world where alliances are tested, secrets unravel, and the line between hero and villain becomes deliciously blurred.
This book is a triumph, and I eagerly await the next installment in The Eldrystone series. Ingrid Seymour has cast a spell with her words, and House of the Raven is a shining testament to her storytelling prowess. Prepare to be enchanted!
Seymour's world-building is truly enchanting, skillfully weaving Spanish influences and Romani culture into the fabric of the narrative. Within the story, she seizes the opportunity to delve into themes of racism, prejudice, and stereotypes with a subtlety that is both nuanced and impactful. The intricate interplay between the human and fae realms, further complicated by the collapse of the veil, serves to intensify the narrative's tension, leaving readers pondering the question of who truly holds the mantle of the "good guy."
The characters, especially Valeria and River, are well-crafted and complex. Valeria's growth from a naive princess to a resilient force is a testament to Seymour's skill in character development. River, the damaged hero, exudes an irresistible allure, making him a character you simultaneously root for and question.
The plot is a rollercoaster of emotions, with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The pacing is impeccable, allowing for moments of introspection without sacrificing the momentum of the narrative. As the story unfolds, it reveals a rich tapestry of relationships, politics, and a quest for the elusive Eldrystone—a key to unlocking the fae's lost magic.
In House of the Raven, Seymour has truly created a magical blend of suspense, romance, and fantasy that is impossible to resist. With every chapter, the reader is drawn deeper into a world where alliances are tested, secrets unravel, and the line between hero and villain becomes deliciously blurred.
This book is a triumph, and I eagerly await the next installment in The Eldrystone series. Ingrid Seymour has cast a spell with her words, and House of the Raven is a shining testament to her storytelling prowess. Prepare to be enchanted!
December 4, 2024
This was just so bad. On every level. From the 'not-like-the-other-girls' protagonist, to the weird insta-love that comes completely out of nowhere at the 85% mark. Cannot recommend putting this back on the shelf enough.
November 10, 2024
ᥫ᭡🐦⬛💛🐦⬛ᥫ᭡
╔.✩. .═══════╗
✨✨𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬✨✨
╚═══════. .✩.╝
💛𝖧𝗈𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖱𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝗒 𝖨𝗇𝗀𝗋𝗂𝖽 𝖲𝖾𝗒𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋
───────✨☆✨───────
📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🐦⬛𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙻𝙳𝚁𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
💛𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
🐦⬛𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝙵𝙴𝙱𝚁𝚄𝙰𝚁𝚈 𝟷𝟼𝚃𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
╰┈➤𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝙺𝚄✨
💛𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐕𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐒: 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻; 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴; 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺; 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙶; 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙴𝚇, 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺, 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙺 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝙵𝙾𝙲𝚄𝚂 𝙾𝙽 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙻𝙾𝙿𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃
🐦⬛𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑: 𝟹𝟻𝟻 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
💛𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄: 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙼𝙸𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂; 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝙵𝙸𝙴𝚁𝙲𝙴 𝙵𝙼𝙲; 𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙸-𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙾 𝙼𝙼𝙲; 𝙵𝙰𝙴; 𝚄𝙽𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳; 𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙼𝙰𝙻 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙾𝙽; 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙲𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙼𝙸𝚃𝚈; 𝚃𝙾𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙳𝙸𝙴; 𝚂𝙿𝙸𝙲𝙴
🐦⬛𝐘𝐄𝐒/𝐍𝐎/𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄: 𝚈𝙴𝚂 𝚈𝙴𝚂 𝚈𝙴𝚂!
💛𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗟 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗟𝗝 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀, 𝗟𝗲𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲, & 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻!
───────✨☆✨───────
𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐
Thank you so much to @ingridseymourauthor & @bookofmatchesmedia for my gifted review copy of 𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙉! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
This book was amazing! This was my first Ingrid Seymour book and it definitely won’t be my last - I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this series! House of the Raven was a page turner full of magic, slow burn romance, and lush world building that had a lot of Spanish and Romani influence and elements that absolutely blew me away!
Valeria, our FMC, is absolutely amazing and I felt like I connected with her right away. She is a strong character and I loved how she went from being a naive princess, to being a force to be reckoned with. Her journey and character growth was just fantastic to me and I really enjoyed reading her arc in this one! She comes into her own so much and it’s so inspiring. I loved the dynamic between her and Jago, her cousin and the comedic relief in the book! He was probably one of my favorite characters in the entire book, and a lot of his quips had me laughing out loud!
The romance in this book was really well done and I think it blended perfectly with the plot and narrative. This book did such a great job of setting up the world and setting up the series with all of the character’s relationships and dynamics, and I’m so excited to read the next book to see how everything is expanded on. This was a really fantastic series opener and I love how we can see Ingrid setting everything up for the future of the series.
I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking to start a new fantasy world to immerse yourself in! It’s got amazing world building and wonderful characters and a plot that will keep you captivated throughout your read!
……..
Cʜᴇᴄᴋ Oᴜᴛ Mʏ Fᴜʟʟ Rᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏɴ GᴏᴏᴅRᴇᴀᴅs!
Lɪɴᴋ ɪɴ ᴍʏ Bɪ0!✨✨
───────✨☆✨───────
╔.✩. .═══════╗
✨✨𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬✨✨
╚═══════. .✩.╝
💛𝖧𝗈𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖱𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝗒 𝖨𝗇𝗀𝗋𝗂𝖽 𝖲𝖾𝗒𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋
───────✨☆✨───────
📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🐦⬛𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙻𝙳𝚁𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
💛𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
🐦⬛𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝙵𝙴𝙱𝚁𝚄𝙰𝚁𝚈 𝟷𝟼𝚃𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
╰┈➤𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝙺𝚄✨
💛𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐕𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐒: 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻; 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴; 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺; 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙶; 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙴𝚇, 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺, 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙺 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝙵𝙾𝙲𝚄𝚂 𝙾𝙽 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙻𝙾𝙿𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃
🐦⬛𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑: 𝟹𝟻𝟻 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
💛𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄: 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙼𝙸𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂; 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝙵𝙸𝙴𝚁𝙲𝙴 𝙵𝙼𝙲; 𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙸-𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙾 𝙼𝙼𝙲; 𝙵𝙰𝙴; 𝚄𝙽𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳; 𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙼𝙰𝙻 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙾𝙽; 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙲𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙼𝙸𝚃𝚈; 𝚃𝙾𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙳𝙸𝙴; 𝚂𝙿𝙸𝙲𝙴
🐦⬛𝐘𝐄𝐒/𝐍𝐎/𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄: 𝚈𝙴𝚂 𝚈𝙴𝚂 𝚈𝙴𝚂!
💛𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗟 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗟𝗝 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀, 𝗟𝗲𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲, & 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻!
───────✨☆✨───────
𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐
Thank you so much to @ingridseymourauthor & @bookofmatchesmedia for my gifted review copy of 𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙉! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
This book was amazing! This was my first Ingrid Seymour book and it definitely won’t be my last - I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this series! House of the Raven was a page turner full of magic, slow burn romance, and lush world building that had a lot of Spanish and Romani influence and elements that absolutely blew me away!
Valeria, our FMC, is absolutely amazing and I felt like I connected with her right away. She is a strong character and I loved how she went from being a naive princess, to being a force to be reckoned with. Her journey and character growth was just fantastic to me and I really enjoyed reading her arc in this one! She comes into her own so much and it’s so inspiring. I loved the dynamic between her and Jago, her cousin and the comedic relief in the book! He was probably one of my favorite characters in the entire book, and a lot of his quips had me laughing out loud!
The romance in this book was really well done and I think it blended perfectly with the plot and narrative. This book did such a great job of setting up the world and setting up the series with all of the character’s relationships and dynamics, and I’m so excited to read the next book to see how everything is expanded on. This was a really fantastic series opener and I love how we can see Ingrid setting everything up for the future of the series.
I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking to start a new fantasy world to immerse yourself in! It’s got amazing world building and wonderful characters and a plot that will keep you captivated throughout your read!
……..
Cʜᴇᴄᴋ Oᴜᴛ Mʏ Fᴜʟʟ Rᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏɴ GᴏᴏᴅRᴇᴀᴅs!
Lɪɴᴋ ɪɴ ᴍʏ Bɪ0!✨✨
───────✨☆✨───────
December 5, 2024
I wanted to read this book as a part of my goal to read more "unknown" books with fewer than 1000 reviews in 2024. Since this has relatively few reviews I take the reviewing process more seriously than normal.
This story takes place in Fantasy-Spain. The map is literally south-western Europe, but instead of France we got Frankesia, it's not Portugal it's Portus, the Strait of Gibraltar is now the Strait of Jabaltariq. We even got Spanish words like "bastardo" and "puta madre" in the dialogue. This was all really cool, I loved it. The world building and politics were great. The are layers here and we hear about conflicts with other countries and factions that don't really affect the plot in any way. It's just stuff in the background, and I actually really like that. It's a simple way to make the world feel lived in, like there's stuff happening "off camera". I really appreciate that.
Fae and humans live in a segregated society, with humans being the dominant race. Our main character Valeria is royalty, and she's a valuable target for fae rebels. I instantly loved this set up. I love a good rebellion, class struggle and spoiled members of the bourgeoisie meeting the "real world". I'm not saying Valeria is some dumb rich brat - she's scrappy and funny and pretty cool - but she has a lot to learn about the world. Valeria is suddenly thrown into a situation were she has no idea who to trust. There are hidden players in the background, and she has no idea who's a puppet, who's in disguise and who's genuine. I absolutely love this, it's so fun to read when you're constantly second guessing everything.
I was really excited during the first part of the book, when all this conflict and mystery were being set up. It felt like the book had a lot of energy, if that makes sense. But it didn't take long for it to peeter out, unfortunately. Suddenly there's an awful lot of travelling, nothing really happens, and it feels like there's no plan. The story just kinda meanders. The more I read, the more frustrated I got at the lack of direction and goal. The pace was just craaaawling in the big mid-section of the book.
This is marketed as a romantasy. Not gonna lie, I take issue with that lol. In my opinion, this is not a romantasy. A romantasy is pretty much 50/50 romance and story, no? This was like... 5% romance with no build up. No flirting, no butterflies, no chemistry, no tension, no hints at attraction. Then BAM, out of nowhere, with like 70 pages left, there's suddenly romance. This was really disappointing, the build up and the tension are the best parts! Btw, for those wondering, yes there is explicit spice lol.
It's also "dual POV". But is it really dual POV when River (fae rebel) has like four chapters in the whole book? It was getting kinda silly seeing Valeria's name in big block letters over almost every single chapter. The other POV added almost nothing to the story. Some important world building could easily have been incorporated into Valeria's POV, I think. And worst of all, the reason why River has such few chapters becomes quite obvious, and it ruins one of the big twists in the story. In my opinion, having only Valeria's POV would've been better.
There is a lot of mystery in the story, which I appreciate. However, a lot was quite predictable. The author is dropping hints here and there, but I feel like the hints were too obvious. And the boss fight at the end felt too quick and easy.
Idk, man. This had a lot of potential in the beginning and I wanted to love it all, but it didn't quite stick the landing for me. Overall, it gets a solid "meh" rating, 3 stars.
This story takes place in Fantasy-Spain. The map is literally south-western Europe, but instead of France we got Frankesia, it's not Portugal it's Portus, the Strait of Gibraltar is now the Strait of Jabaltariq. We even got Spanish words like "bastardo" and "puta madre" in the dialogue. This was all really cool, I loved it. The world building and politics were great. The are layers here and we hear about conflicts with other countries and factions that don't really affect the plot in any way. It's just stuff in the background, and I actually really like that. It's a simple way to make the world feel lived in, like there's stuff happening "off camera". I really appreciate that.
Fae and humans live in a segregated society, with humans being the dominant race. Our main character Valeria is royalty, and she's a valuable target for fae rebels. I instantly loved this set up. I love a good rebellion, class struggle and spoiled members of the bourgeoisie meeting the "real world". I'm not saying Valeria is some dumb rich brat - she's scrappy and funny and pretty cool - but she has a lot to learn about the world. Valeria is suddenly thrown into a situation were she has no idea who to trust. There are hidden players in the background, and she has no idea who's a puppet, who's in disguise and who's genuine. I absolutely love this, it's so fun to read when you're constantly second guessing everything.
I was really excited during the first part of the book, when all this conflict and mystery were being set up. It felt like the book had a lot of energy, if that makes sense. But it didn't take long for it to peeter out, unfortunately. Suddenly there's an awful lot of travelling, nothing really happens, and it feels like there's no plan. The story just kinda meanders. The more I read, the more frustrated I got at the lack of direction and goal. The pace was just craaaawling in the big mid-section of the book.
This is marketed as a romantasy. Not gonna lie, I take issue with that lol. In my opinion, this is not a romantasy. A romantasy is pretty much 50/50 romance and story, no? This was like... 5% romance with no build up. No flirting, no butterflies, no chemistry, no tension, no hints at attraction. Then BAM, out of nowhere, with like 70 pages left, there's suddenly romance. This was really disappointing, the build up and the tension are the best parts! Btw, for those wondering, yes there is explicit spice lol.
It's also "dual POV". But is it really dual POV when River (fae rebel) has like four chapters in the whole book? It was getting kinda silly seeing Valeria's name in big block letters over almost every single chapter. The other POV added almost nothing to the story. Some important world building could easily have been incorporated into Valeria's POV, I think. And worst of all, the reason why River has such few chapters becomes quite obvious, and it ruins one of the big twists in the story. In my opinion, having only Valeria's POV would've been better.
There is a lot of mystery in the story, which I appreciate. However, a lot was quite predictable. The author is dropping hints here and there, but I feel like the hints were too obvious. And the boss fight at the end felt too quick and easy.
Idk, man. This had a lot of potential in the beginning and I wanted to love it all, but it didn't quite stick the landing for me. Overall, it gets a solid "meh" rating, 3 stars.
February 26, 2024
This book had me absolutely hooked from the beginning and I hated putting it down each time I had to do my real life responsibilities. I have never read an Ingrid Seymour book before but now I want to read them all. Her writing style is absolutely epic. I loved her world and character building! I felt so connected to the characters, their life, and the story she wove so intricately.
It is not often that a story’s twists and turns surprise me, but this one absolutely had me spellbound and there was quite a bit I didn’t see coming.
This book is absolutely worth the read. I am solidly a fan of this series and now this author! I truly cannot wait for the next book in this series.
I loved the Spanish correlations in this story and her unique time system. After reading quite a few stories about humans and fae, this book’s unique take was absolutely refreshing and captivating.
It is not often that a story’s twists and turns surprise me, but this one absolutely had me spellbound and there was quite a bit I didn’t see coming.
This book is absolutely worth the read. I am solidly a fan of this series and now this author! I truly cannot wait for the next book in this series.
I loved the Spanish correlations in this story and her unique time system. After reading quite a few stories about humans and fae, this book’s unique take was absolutely refreshing and captivating.
March 21, 2024
I must have read a different book than everyone else because neither the world nor romance are fleshed out and the characters are two dimensional. Not much happens except the FMC’s plans to escape get thwarted every time.
August 31, 2024
When the veil between realms fell, a smattering of the elven people were trapped on humanity's side and vice versa. Tensions are high between the two peoples within the human kingdom and the threat of elven rebels lurks in the shadows.
Valeria is a free-spirited princess who longs for freedom; which she is afforded by not being the heir to the throne. She's a force to be reckoned with and I adore her relationship with her hedonistic cousin Jago. What I love most of Valeria’s resilience and refusal to be a mere pawn in the political machinations of the story. Adding to the charm of the story is the delightful presence of Cuervo, Val's fae-raven companion who adds a touch of humor and warmth to the story.
There are a lot of unanswered questions and this is absolutely a set-up for a larger story. There is plenty of action in the first book, but I love that we're given enough time to know these characters first. Seymour's world-building is intriguing, teasing just enough to keep readers hooked without being overwhelming.
House of the Raven is a strong start to what promises to be a riveting series. I flew through it and had a great time. With its engaging characters and a plot that expertly balances romance, action, and mystery. Great start!
Valeria is a free-spirited princess who longs for freedom; which she is afforded by not being the heir to the throne. She's a force to be reckoned with and I adore her relationship with her hedonistic cousin Jago. What I love most of Valeria’s resilience and refusal to be a mere pawn in the political machinations of the story. Adding to the charm of the story is the delightful presence of Cuervo, Val's fae-raven companion who adds a touch of humor and warmth to the story.
There are a lot of unanswered questions and this is absolutely a set-up for a larger story. There is plenty of action in the first book, but I love that we're given enough time to know these characters first. Seymour's world-building is intriguing, teasing just enough to keep readers hooked without being overwhelming.
House of the Raven is a strong start to what promises to be a riveting series. I flew through it and had a great time. With its engaging characters and a plot that expertly balances romance, action, and mystery. Great start!
March 7, 2024
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC of this book. It had me hooked from the prologue! The world building and character/plot development was a lot in the beginning, but it was all important to give necessary background info. I loved this world and the characters the author created. This is a first in a new series and she set everything up so perfectly! The twist at the end was crazy and completely unexpected. I was hoping for more tension/slow burn leading up to the spice, but hopefully there will be more as the series continues. If you love romantasy, a fierce FMC, and a stubborn MMC then give this book a read!
March 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this read! I guessed early on who our MMC would end up being but was otherwise happy with the story.
This book is founded upon interesting and well thought out world building and I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the human/fae historical relationship. The magic system is also interesting, if a touch confusing at times, but I did find that anything I didn’t understand at one moment righted itself later. Valeria is a sympathetic FMC who’s growth is both painful and fulfilling to witness.
I will definitely continue reading this series! Thank you so much to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨
This book is founded upon interesting and well thought out world building and I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the human/fae historical relationship. The magic system is also interesting, if a touch confusing at times, but I did find that anything I didn’t understand at one moment righted itself later. Valeria is a sympathetic FMC who’s growth is both painful and fulfilling to witness.
I will definitely continue reading this series! Thank you so much to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨
March 6, 2024
If you are looking for a book that will suck you into the story from the very beginning and keep you wanting to read more then this is the book for you.
From the prologue I knew I would enjoy this book. There are secrets, twists and turns, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers and so much more!!
I need the next book.
From the prologue I knew I would enjoy this book. There are secrets, twists and turns, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers and so much more!!
I need the next book.
March 13, 2024
It was an enjoyable read. Checks off most of the main tropes: forbidden love, betrayal, magic, Fae, dark broody and hot male main, cheeky side character, strong, willful female main, touch of spice, sure enemies to lovers will be in the next installment. Strong Spanish influence in the human world, Irish for the Fae.
July 24, 2024
4.5 🌟 I ate this book up! First off shoutout to the author, I think this is one of my first fantasy books with Latin representation.
The friendship with her cousin was so FUN, Jago is the funny side character everyone loves.
There was only one spicy scene but a ton of tension 🤌 I can’t say too much without giving away the plot but I will say for like 80% of this book I had no idea who the love interest would be.
Can’t wait for book 2! 🫶
The friendship with her cousin was so FUN, Jago is the funny side character everyone loves.
There was only one spicy scene but a ton of tension 🤌 I can’t say too much without giving away the plot but I will say for like 80% of this book I had no idea who the love interest would be.
Can’t wait for book 2! 🫶
March 3, 2024
I simply cannot wait until the next book. Each chapter kept me waiting on the edge of my seat to find out what happened next. Valeria is a strong FMC, and Jago and Cuervo stole my heart. I will definitely be reading the sequel.
March 5, 2024
I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected. The characters felt a bit flat to me. The romance wasn't doing it for me either.
I did like the extensive worldbuilding and the magic system.
•••
I received an ARC. My opinions are my own.
I did like the extensive worldbuilding and the magic system.
•••
I received an ARC. My opinions are my own.
May 6, 2024
1. The world building is phenomenal! I felt immersed completely.
2. Although I loved the characters, I wished there was more tensions and angst between our MC.
3. I will definitely pick up the 2nd book!
2. Although I loved the characters, I wished there was more tensions and angst between our MC.
3. I will definitely pick up the 2nd book!
September 20, 2024
4.75⭐️ Fast paced, enemies to lovers, friendships and betrayals…. Fun characters, interesting storyline, nice twists… ended in a cliffhanger but that’s what the next books are for…will definitely continue the series…
October 14, 2024
This is an awesome start to a longer series! I love that we're given ample time to get to know the characters and world here. There is plenty of action and plot to keep me intrigued. Plus, a raven sidekick is always a bonus!
I still have so many questions and can't wait for the next book!
I still have so many questions and can't wait for the next book!
October 28, 2024
Fabulous read!! Very well written, loved the immersive world building & character development.
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-fierce FMC
-anti-hero MMC
-fae
-unique world
-animal companion
-forced proximity
-touch her and ☠️
-spice 🌶️
Danger lurks. Ready yourself
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-fierce FMC
-anti-hero MMC
-fae
-unique world
-animal companion
-forced proximity
-touch her and ☠️
-spice 🌶️
Danger lurks. Ready yourself
June 6, 2024
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
February 21, 2025
This was SO good that I read it in one day.
The slow burn and the deception 🥵
The slow burn and the deception 🥵
February 24, 2024
3.5/5
I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily writing this review.
The world building in this was amazing. I loved the world, the Spanish overtones to everything instead of other parts of Europe, and the magic aspect of espiritu. I don't normally read Fae stories, but I wish there was more background on them.
My biggest critique was the lack of romance. I understand that the later books will be spicier but this had almost nothing in terms of romance, and this book is marketed as a fantasy romance.
I'll likely read the next book to go back to this world, but I hope the promise of more spice is true.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily writing this review.
The world building in this was amazing. I loved the world, the Spanish overtones to everything instead of other parts of Europe, and the magic aspect of espiritu. I don't normally read Fae stories, but I wish there was more background on them.
My biggest critique was the lack of romance. I understand that the later books will be spicier but this had almost nothing in terms of romance, and this book is marketed as a fantasy romance.
I'll likely read the next book to go back to this world, but I hope the promise of more spice is true.
April 7, 2024
Was looking for more from the description of the book. I’ve read some other books from the author and enjoyed them so decided to pick this up based on the summary.
I’m disappointed from my expectations of the book. I guess it wasn’t bad, but probably a solid 3/5. Low spice (but expected and looks to very more in the continuation of the series), and I am okay with that. However it truly was enemies to lovers, all the sudden to insta love. There was no tension, no push and pull, and no steam between the FMC and MMC.
The FMC finally did have some sort of character arc of her childish and sheltered ways, but it came at the end of the book. She also was always just running away. That was 80% of the plot was escaping only to have the MMC find her again. It got repetitive and almost boring.
I wanted there to be more to the story than what there was. It definitely stopped on a cliff and I may read the next book but am I anticipating the drop? No. I’m sure it will be posted on an update from Goodreads, to which I may read the next one but the cliff isn’t going to haunt my days.
I’m disappointed from my expectations of the book. I guess it wasn’t bad, but probably a solid 3/5. Low spice (but expected and looks to very more in the continuation of the series), and I am okay with that. However it truly was enemies to lovers, all the sudden to insta love. There was no tension, no push and pull, and no steam between the FMC and MMC.
The FMC finally did have some sort of character arc of her childish and sheltered ways, but it came at the end of the book. She also was always just running away. That was 80% of the plot was escaping only to have the MMC find her again. It got repetitive and almost boring.
I wanted there to be more to the story than what there was. It definitely stopped on a cliff and I may read the next book but am I anticipating the drop? No. I’m sure it will be posted on an update from Goodreads, to which I may read the next one but the cliff isn’t going to haunt my days.
June 7, 2024
This just wasn’t good. I almost DNF’d but I just powered through… The plot was repetitive. The writing was repetitive. All the characters felt the same and I couldn’t make myself care about any of them. They were all incredibly whiny, immature, unaware, and just very 2-dimensional.
The FMC was one of the worst I have encountered. She was handed similar situation after situation and didn’t learn from any of them. She was absolutely infuriating and didn’t really accomplish anything. Her small moment at the end of the book felt more like it only happened because it should happen for that point story, and not for any sort of character growth.
I found the world building to be very lacklustre and the magic system to be very lacking. I can maybe see that the appeal for the second book would be learning about the magic system but nothing about this one made me want to even consider picking up the next one.
I wouldn’t even consider this a slow burn. I didn’t even know it was burning until it completely caught on fire! The entire “romance” plot could have been taken out and nothing would be different.
All-in-all this was a super disappointing read and I was totally let down by all the high reviews here…
The FMC was one of the worst I have encountered. She was handed similar situation after situation and didn’t learn from any of them. She was absolutely infuriating and didn’t really accomplish anything. Her small moment at the end of the book felt more like it only happened because it should happen for that point story, and not for any sort of character growth.
I found the world building to be very lacklustre and the magic system to be very lacking. I can maybe see that the appeal for the second book would be learning about the magic system but nothing about this one made me want to even consider picking up the next one.
I wouldn’t even consider this a slow burn. I didn’t even know it was burning until it completely caught on fire! The entire “romance” plot could have been taken out and nothing would be different.
All-in-all this was a super disappointing read and I was totally let down by all the high reviews here…
March 10, 2024
May contain spoilers
I absolutely loved this book. Took me a minute to get hooked but once it did I couldn't put it down. I had to know what would happen next. I wanted to love Bastien when he was introduced and at first I was scared that I wouldn't but I held out and I'm glad I did. When the enemies to lovers moment came my heart was happy. There was a crow that Valeria was friends with similar to a familiar I think. I didn't know who to think was orys. I thought maybe it was Bastien but my heart wouldn't accept that. I love Valeria and her witty ways of trying to escape Bastien and her arranged marriage to the Don. This book has so many things I enjoyed enemies to lovers, betrayal some dual pov. Some adventure. Magic. All I know is you should read this book and I'm incredibly sad that it's over and I have to wait to read the next. I have not gotten enough of Bastien and Valeria and I just know the second book is not going to disappoint in giving me more
I absolutely loved this book. Took me a minute to get hooked but once it did I couldn't put it down. I had to know what would happen next. I wanted to love Bastien when he was introduced and at first I was scared that I wouldn't but I held out and I'm glad I did. When the enemies to lovers moment came my heart was happy. There was a crow that Valeria was friends with similar to a familiar I think. I didn't know who to think was orys. I thought maybe it was Bastien but my heart wouldn't accept that. I love Valeria and her witty ways of trying to escape Bastien and her arranged marriage to the Don. This book has so many things I enjoyed enemies to lovers, betrayal some dual pov. Some adventure. Magic. All I know is you should read this book and I'm incredibly sad that it's over and I have to wait to read the next. I have not gotten enough of Bastien and Valeria and I just know the second book is not going to disappoint in giving me more
August 29, 2024
So the crow is named Crow, and the princess is Princess Plumanegra. I'm having a hard time with these names.
I kept reading and it's better but not by much. Literally the entire plot of this book is Valeria running away and getting caught and then falling for the asshole guard who has really not done anything of value other than be an asshole. And a liar.
I kept reading and it's better but not by much. Literally the entire plot of this book is Valeria running away and getting caught and then falling for the asshole guard who has really not done anything of value other than be an asshole. And a liar.
April 7, 2024
Slow start and it was hard to finish it. The second half got a little better but not enough to keep me interested.. a little boring which i was surprised since i love her other books! 😭 If you like the world build up, and meeting a bunch of characters then this is for you.
June 11, 2024
DNF at 95% after trying multiple times to come back to it. Couldn't get into this one...had a hard time remembering the characters, the relationships fell flat, plenty of action but it was boring. Not poorly written just missing that je ne sais quoi.
September 24, 2024
good story, but he language thing jilts me
Look, I like a good deception as much as the next gal, but the language thing turns me off. I just can’t get into these Romance language things she does. I feel like it’s a cop out, and it makes the whole story seem childish.
Look, I like a good deception as much as the next gal, but the language thing turns me off. I just can’t get into these Romance language things she does. I feel like it’s a cop out, and it makes the whole story seem childish.
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