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Messengers of the Realm #1
White Raven
From the USA Today bestselling author of Savage Lands comes a sweeping new fantasy
perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Rebecca Yarros.
“Harbingers of enlightened, bringers of darkness. Givers of life, tellers of death…significance
flies on the backs of raven wings for those who dare to listen to its meaning. For we are the
Messengers of the Realm.”
The White Raven was born to bring magic to the dying realm.
One hundred and ninety-nine years ago the Blood War between the Ravens and the Leatherwings divided the land into Day, Night, and Dusk, cursing the land with the blood of the dead. Abandoned by Odin and his favored pets, Huginn and Muninn, the ravens were stripped of their wings, and their positions as Messengers of the Realm.
Her blood holds the power to heal the land and unite the kingdoms.
Wrennlyn Stallard, the King’s only daughter had lived a life of privilege, kept sheltered in the walls of Silvervale. But on the night of her betrothal, her world shattered when their enemy from the Night Realm kidnapped her, taking her across the snowy terrain into the treacherous land, called the Shadow Rift, the land between the Day and Night.
His mission is to take her to the Night King.
Onyx had waited months to seize her, purposely getting captured to work as a thrall for the Day King. Cold, ruthless, and burning with vengeance, he wasn’t prepared for the pampered, prophesized girl to be defiant, clever, and maddeningly impossible to break. Killing her would be easy, but her life is vital to a much bigger plan.
Because everyone knows…who has the White Raven holds the power.
perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Rebecca Yarros.
“Harbingers of enlightened, bringers of darkness. Givers of life, tellers of death…significance
flies on the backs of raven wings for those who dare to listen to its meaning. For we are the
Messengers of the Realm.”
The White Raven was born to bring magic to the dying realm.
One hundred and ninety-nine years ago the Blood War between the Ravens and the Leatherwings divided the land into Day, Night, and Dusk, cursing the land with the blood of the dead. Abandoned by Odin and his favored pets, Huginn and Muninn, the ravens were stripped of their wings, and their positions as Messengers of the Realm.
Her blood holds the power to heal the land and unite the kingdoms.
Wrennlyn Stallard, the King’s only daughter had lived a life of privilege, kept sheltered in the walls of Silvervale. But on the night of her betrothal, her world shattered when their enemy from the Night Realm kidnapped her, taking her across the snowy terrain into the treacherous land, called the Shadow Rift, the land between the Day and Night.
His mission is to take her to the Night King.
Onyx had waited months to seize her, purposely getting captured to work as a thrall for the Day King. Cold, ruthless, and burning with vengeance, he wasn’t prepared for the pampered, prophesized girl to be defiant, clever, and maddeningly impossible to break. Killing her would be easy, but her life is vital to a much bigger plan.
Because everyone knows…who has the White Raven holds the power.
Audible Audio
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Stacey Marie Brown
81 books6,744 followersStacey Marie Brown is a lover of hot fictional bad boys and sarcastic heroines who kick butt. She also enjoys books, travel, TV shows, hiking, writing, design, and archery. Stacey swears she is part gypsy, being lucky enough to live and travel all over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 755 reviews
September 3, 2026
Bro genuinely this is one of the worst things I've ever read. I could have dnf-ed this. But someone had to sacrifice themselves for the greater good 😔 Send your thoughts and prayers to me, recovery will take a while.
Brace yourself for the rant.
This is one those books that looks good on surface level, especially if you read the blurb. Then you open it and it's like a can of worms...
Everything about it went wrong.
The world building? Poorly done. About 73% of the plot is a repetitive cycle of traveling, finding a spot to rest (which really wasn't rest at all). Then doing it all over again fifty times. We learn the most minimal amount of information about this world and there are so many things that don't tie up. Logically half of it didn't make sense. The timeline of certain events was narratively too easy.
The writing? Absolutely mediocre. There are clusters of information and pauses that seem abrupt. The transition of action sequences are rough and read like the author didn't know which phrases to use. The repetitive situations of the fmc getting captured a million times and getting sexually assaulted and objectified by every man who walks into the scene was icky, unrealistic and disgusting. Overuse of the catchphrase: 'Huginn Muninn,' and I'm talking like every other page. Like holy fuck STOPPP 😩 Use normal curses/swears. I know it's fantasy but you can still talk normal.
But worst of all? The characters. I'm not even going to dive into how irrelevant the side characters were. Starting with the MMC who's name we don't even find out until 40%. He's a douche. Arrogant. Cocky. Over the top. The author tried too hard with him to make a tropey book boyfriend. He just reads like a cardboard cutout of a fictional man who cannot do shit.
Then the FMC: Wren, oh how I loathed this girl. Yes I get it, she's 19. Young, pretty and every older man wants her. We're told of this a thousand times. But what's really interesting (it's not interesting) is how she's been trained all her life in combat, strategy and yet she doesn't know how to do either. All she did was run, get in trouble and play the damsel in plain sight. Oh, and it gets better (it doesn't), she has a sense of superiority so high even the gods would feel shy 🚩 I kid you not, she kicks thralls, calls them disgusting names and gets off on the power trip 🚩🚩 Then she pees on the MMC and spits on him 🚩🚩🚩 I cannot like a woman who treats people beneath her. That's not a feisty arc for me, that's just being a horrible person.
The romance was a textbook, tropey development. There is not much to build on except lust. The chemistry felt forced when she kept acting like a child and he kept acting like an emotionally constipated idiot. I felt no love between them and it read more like a trauma bond with how many times she comes close to getting assualted and him having to come to her rescue.
The ending was the literal worst. If I could rate it in negative, I would. The big reveal did not make sense cause if we're in Wren's head the whole time. Why would she mislead us readers? I get the author wanted an impactful, huge jaw dropping cliffhanger. It only read as lazy and illogical to me. There were bare minimum hints dropped and leading the reader wrong while narrating the story in first pov is just confusing as fuck.
Lastly, let's not forget the lack of a trigger warnings. There are multiple scenes of sexual assault; slavery; degradation and humiliation; abuse; and cannibalism to name a few. And yet the book nor the website holds this information to warn people.
So is the one star well deserved? You tell me. I'm not coming back to book 2.
~•~•~
Norse inspired fantasy and enemies to lovers? I'm in 🤭 I really enjoyed Savage Lands by the author and it's been a longgg time since I read anything by her 👀
Brace yourself for the rant.
This is one those books that looks good on surface level, especially if you read the blurb. Then you open it and it's like a can of worms...
Everything about it went wrong.
The world building? Poorly done. About 73% of the plot is a repetitive cycle of traveling, finding a spot to rest (which really wasn't rest at all). Then doing it all over again fifty times. We learn the most minimal amount of information about this world and there are so many things that don't tie up. Logically half of it didn't make sense. The timeline of certain events was narratively too easy.
The writing? Absolutely mediocre. There are clusters of information and pauses that seem abrupt. The transition of action sequences are rough and read like the author didn't know which phrases to use. The repetitive situations of the fmc getting captured a million times and getting sexually assaulted and objectified by every man who walks into the scene was icky, unrealistic and disgusting. Overuse of the catchphrase: 'Huginn Muninn,' and I'm talking like every other page. Like holy fuck STOPPP 😩 Use normal curses/swears. I know it's fantasy but you can still talk normal.
But worst of all? The characters. I'm not even going to dive into how irrelevant the side characters were. Starting with the MMC who's name we don't even find out until 40%. He's a douche. Arrogant. Cocky. Over the top. The author tried too hard with him to make a tropey book boyfriend. He just reads like a cardboard cutout of a fictional man who cannot do shit.
Then the FMC: Wren, oh how I loathed this girl. Yes I get it, she's 19. Young, pretty and every older man wants her. We're told of this a thousand times. But what's really interesting (it's not interesting) is how she's been trained all her life in combat, strategy and yet she doesn't know how to do either. All she did was run, get in trouble and play the damsel in plain sight. Oh, and it gets better (it doesn't), she has a sense of superiority so high even the gods would feel shy 🚩 I kid you not, she kicks thralls, calls them disgusting names and gets off on the power trip 🚩🚩 Then she pees on the MMC and spits on him 🚩🚩🚩 I cannot like a woman who treats people beneath her. That's not a feisty arc for me, that's just being a horrible person.
The romance was a textbook, tropey development. There is not much to build on except lust. The chemistry felt forced when she kept acting like a child and he kept acting like an emotionally constipated idiot. I felt no love between them and it read more like a trauma bond with how many times she comes close to getting assualted and him having to come to her rescue.
The ending was the literal worst. If I could rate it in negative, I would. The big reveal did not make sense cause if we're in Wren's head the whole time. Why would she mislead us readers? I get the author wanted an impactful, huge jaw dropping cliffhanger. It only read as lazy and illogical to me. There were bare minimum hints dropped and leading the reader wrong while narrating the story in first pov is just confusing as fuck.
Lastly, let's not forget the lack of a trigger warnings. There are multiple scenes of sexual assault; slavery; degradation and humiliation; abuse; and cannibalism to name a few. And yet the book nor the website holds this information to warn people.
So is the one star well deserved? You tell me. I'm not coming back to book 2.
~•~•~
Norse inspired fantasy and enemies to lovers? I'm in 🤭 I really enjoyed Savage Lands by the author and it's been a longgg time since I read anything by her 👀
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 5 ⭐️ White Raven brought me out from my fantasy slump. It's a Norse-Viking inspired fantasy with dark elements, prophecy, morally gray characters with delicious slow-burn romance and sizzling tension that will keep you turning pages late into the night. Kind of has the same feels as The Wolf King series but overall very different. It is a TRUE enemies to lovers story...a slow burn and it stays this way until 85%-ish. Even by that point, we still remain enemies! As someone who absolutely hates lust driven stories, I can assure you that this book is more tension than actual spice or romance. The vibes overall are immaculate but the book didn't start off on a good note for me, due to the nature and actions of FMC.. but she grew on me (that rarely happens) and I was surprised with how much I ended up loving the story. Lets break it down!
What's it about?
We have a 19-year old protagonist, Wren Stallard, who is the daughter of the King of Day Ravens. She has been prophesied to be the White Raven, the savior and healer of the dying land and the person whose blood would reunite the divided three kingdoms. About 200 years prior, there was a blood war between the Ravens and the Leatherwings and as a result three kingdoms were created: Day, Night and Dusk, the lands were poisoned and the Ravens were stripped off of their wings. Wrens father arranges a marriage to keep her protected from other kingdoms who want her blood but on the night of her wedding ceremony, she ends up being kidnapped by Onyx, our morally gray warrior from the Night kingdom. He has a duty to complete and their journey is full of action, tense confrontations and so much amazing banter! While Wrens existence represents a solution, Onyx is holding out on something that will change their trajectory of their relationship dynamic! My lips are sealed, therefore you must read to find out more! xoxo
Initially, I wasn't that impressed. I think the book started off on the wrong foot. Wren is your typical 19 year old, immature, sheltered girl who comes off as entitled and very condescending. In plain words, she's been pampered since birth and has no clue how to be a grown up. Her privileged life gave her securities and since birth she's been spoon fed ideas and ideologies that weren't exactly truthful. When she is kidnapped, she starts to question truth from lies and Onyx shows how far fetched the manipulations were fed to her. Plainly, she grows a brain and her growth was steady and much appreciated. She goes from bratty to a more resilient, mature individual and I can't wait to see her evolve further.
Onyx was much harder to read. He is deliberately written this way so that the readers will be obsessed with him. I sure was! He is 'silent', shrewd, loyal to his court...he holds his own secrets and its hard to read his true motivations. He's as MORALLY GRAY as you can get yet there is such a strong pull towards him, I can honestly understand why Wren couldn't stay away. I honestly wanted more of his backstory and hope we will get some in the next book. Their banter was GREAT! Wren kept goading him and testing his limits all the time... his restraint was TENSE. I was awaiting for it to SNAP at any moment..and when it did, it was just so, so good.
If you're looking for a fantasy with very intricate world building, this is not it. It's very straight forward, simplistic even and easy to follow. And I really appreciated that because I wanted something that is less webbed. The writing was also pretty simplistic; it's good and well written. It is one of those fantasy books that is very catchy and sucks you right in. We have plenty to adore here: ravens, curses and blood magic, ancient gods. We have darker elements that give it a sharper edge like cannibalism, slavery, violence. Nothing that is too gory or bloody. I also loved the Norse-inspired aesthetic--think Vikings show: the earthy tones, woodlands and gorgeous hairstyles (those braids!).
Honestly, I might be a bit obsessed? I even went on to add the authors popular series, Savage Lands.
THIS is featured on Allurial, grab your limited edition here for $10: https://www.allurial.com/refer/g7sai1...
It's still in stock! Very easy to sign up, pause or cancel at no additional cost to you!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author, Stacey Marie Brown for an early ARC.
Publication: September 1, 2026
What's it about?
We have a 19-year old protagonist, Wren Stallard, who is the daughter of the King of Day Ravens. She has been prophesied to be the White Raven, the savior and healer of the dying land and the person whose blood would reunite the divided three kingdoms. About 200 years prior, there was a blood war between the Ravens and the Leatherwings and as a result three kingdoms were created: Day, Night and Dusk, the lands were poisoned and the Ravens were stripped off of their wings. Wrens father arranges a marriage to keep her protected from other kingdoms who want her blood but on the night of her wedding ceremony, she ends up being kidnapped by Onyx, our morally gray warrior from the Night kingdom. He has a duty to complete and their journey is full of action, tense confrontations and so much amazing banter! While Wrens existence represents a solution, Onyx is holding out on something that will change their trajectory of their relationship dynamic! My lips are sealed, therefore you must read to find out more! xoxo
Initially, I wasn't that impressed. I think the book started off on the wrong foot. Wren is your typical 19 year old, immature, sheltered girl who comes off as entitled and very condescending. In plain words, she's been pampered since birth and has no clue how to be a grown up. Her privileged life gave her securities and since birth she's been spoon fed ideas and ideologies that weren't exactly truthful. When she is kidnapped, she starts to question truth from lies and Onyx shows how far fetched the manipulations were fed to her. Plainly, she grows a brain and her growth was steady and much appreciated. She goes from bratty to a more resilient, mature individual and I can't wait to see her evolve further.
Onyx was much harder to read. He is deliberately written this way so that the readers will be obsessed with him. I sure was! He is 'silent', shrewd, loyal to his court...he holds his own secrets and its hard to read his true motivations. He's as MORALLY GRAY as you can get yet there is such a strong pull towards him, I can honestly understand why Wren couldn't stay away. I honestly wanted more of his backstory and hope we will get some in the next book. Their banter was GREAT! Wren kept goading him and testing his limits all the time... his restraint was TENSE. I was awaiting for it to SNAP at any moment..and when it did, it was just so, so good.
If you're looking for a fantasy with very intricate world building, this is not it. It's very straight forward, simplistic even and easy to follow. And I really appreciated that because I wanted something that is less webbed. The writing was also pretty simplistic; it's good and well written. It is one of those fantasy books that is very catchy and sucks you right in. We have plenty to adore here: ravens, curses and blood magic, ancient gods. We have darker elements that give it a sharper edge like cannibalism, slavery, violence. Nothing that is too gory or bloody. I also loved the Norse-inspired aesthetic--think Vikings show: the earthy tones, woodlands and gorgeous hairstyles (those braids!).
Honestly, I might be a bit obsessed? I even went on to add the authors popular series, Savage Lands.
THIS is featured on Allurial, grab your limited edition here for $10: https://www.allurial.com/refer/g7sai1...
It's still in stock! Very easy to sign up, pause or cancel at no additional cost to you!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author, Stacey Marie Brown for an early ARC.
Publication: September 1, 2026
Did Not Finish
June 28, 2026DNF 19%
Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing for this arc opportunity.
I can definitely see romantasy readers going feral for this planned trilogy. It’s all there in theory: a Norse inspired magic system/fantasy setting; imaginative while easy to understand world building; a spunky FMC; a barbaric MMC; a kidnapping trope based vicious AF romance; a fast pace w pretty good action. But this is most certainly not for me because the execution leaves so much to be desired.
My first ick is that the FMC is a few months shy of being 19. In tandem, there’s a specific plot device that takes place on the 19th birthday. So my question is: why couldn’t this specific age requirement be 23-25 or even 21 at least?? Oh that’s right because this girl is literally 18 & acts like it. She is the definition of a stupid, childish teenager so I guess an actual adult wouldn’t work🤷♀️ When said princess btw finds out about her betrothal, the author attempts at anxiety representation but what we’re given is her running into a servant on the floor cleaning & proceeds to berate them by kicking buckets & screaming in their face. Basically having a full blown hissy fit all in the first chapter. But I kept reading because who knows, by the end, her character arc could be so badass.
I think this author is just not for me. I tried to get into her Savage Lands series but the writing wasn’t it. Here, her writing has only slightly improved. It’s overly simple, painfully juvenile, all while trying so incredibly hard to be adult. Every other beat, there was something crude thrown in. Like how we really needed to know that 3 years ago she lost her virginity in the stables. Yep the 15 year old, according to my math at least. The cussing is almost like it’s being forced out of their mouths. By 10%, she’s already involved in some type of-unnecessary to the plot IMO-spicy activity.
The dialogue is cringy at best. The pacing stutters every time action is involved. I completely understand that the MC’s idiotic choices have to happen in order to make the plot happen but come on; she makes such stupid choices. & it’s been stated that she’s been training since like 12 years old so why is she getting herself into the most ridiculous scenarios.
Such a disappointment for me but I know this will HIT the spot for so many feral readers!
(Also, for those who like to know: the chapters are on the longer side.)
Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing for this arc opportunity.
I can definitely see romantasy readers going feral for this planned trilogy. It’s all there in theory: a Norse inspired magic system/fantasy setting; imaginative while easy to understand world building; a spunky FMC; a barbaric MMC; a kidnapping trope based vicious AF romance; a fast pace w pretty good action. But this is most certainly not for me because the execution leaves so much to be desired.
My first ick is that the FMC is a few months shy of being 19. In tandem, there’s a specific plot device that takes place on the 19th birthday. So my question is: why couldn’t this specific age requirement be 23-25 or even 21 at least?? Oh that’s right because this girl is literally 18 & acts like it. She is the definition of a stupid, childish teenager so I guess an actual adult wouldn’t work🤷♀️ When said princess btw finds out about her betrothal, the author attempts at anxiety representation but what we’re given is her running into a servant on the floor cleaning & proceeds to berate them by kicking buckets & screaming in their face. Basically having a full blown hissy fit all in the first chapter. But I kept reading because who knows, by the end, her character arc could be so badass.
I think this author is just not for me. I tried to get into her Savage Lands series but the writing wasn’t it. Here, her writing has only slightly improved. It’s overly simple, painfully juvenile, all while trying so incredibly hard to be adult. Every other beat, there was something crude thrown in. Like how we really needed to know that 3 years ago she lost her virginity in the stables. Yep the 15 year old, according to my math at least. The cussing is almost like it’s being forced out of their mouths. By 10%, she’s already involved in some type of-unnecessary to the plot IMO-spicy activity.
The dialogue is cringy at best. The pacing stutters every time action is involved. I completely understand that the MC’s idiotic choices have to happen in order to make the plot happen but come on; she makes such stupid choices. & it’s been stated that she’s been training since like 12 years old so why is she getting herself into the most ridiculous scenarios.
Such a disappointment for me but I know this will HIT the spot for so many feral readers!
(Also, for those who like to know: the chapters are on the longer side.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc! Unfortunately, this was so far from being for me… I was actually disgusted.
You have the typical story where the fmc is extremely valuable for some reason but she’s also equally naive. She treats slaves like they’re worse than dirt under her shoes. She’s been taught to defend herself her whole life but can’t even do it. She constantly needs rescuing and fails all escaping attempts. Her best friend is a sex maniac (there’s always a character like this but I’ve only met one human in my entire existence that was like that caricature so why do we keep reading about those types of characters?) and the first thing she says about any guys is to bed him. That’s it, that’s the entire friend’s personality. Her father the king has been refusing betrothals because they’re not good enough and then randomly sells her to a RANDOM low nobble house saying she’s gonna be MORE PROTECTED THAN AT THE PALACE?????!?
Obviously the slave she treated like shit kidnaps her and I don’t even know how many times she’s almost raped on page. Then someone tries to EAT HER??? Actual cannibalism. The mmc gives her a nickname upon meeting because that too seems to be something that’s very popular lately. And then her captor tells her stuff like ‘you’re my property’ and something about him eating pussy so good and slamming hard so women always want him back???? I wanted to throw myself off a bridge.
The fmc tries to feel bad about wanting her captor. There’s a part of me that couldn’t believe I was reading this. There’s also a breeding stuff thrown at the end, just to make it all worse.
Honestly, I despise milk but I would drink a whole gallon if it meant I could forget I ever had the misfortune to read this.
You have the typical story where the fmc is extremely valuable for some reason but she’s also equally naive. She treats slaves like they’re worse than dirt under her shoes. She’s been taught to defend herself her whole life but can’t even do it. She constantly needs rescuing and fails all escaping attempts. Her best friend is a sex maniac (there’s always a character like this but I’ve only met one human in my entire existence that was like that caricature so why do we keep reading about those types of characters?) and the first thing she says about any guys is to bed him. That’s it, that’s the entire friend’s personality. Her father the king has been refusing betrothals because they’re not good enough and then randomly sells her to a RANDOM low nobble house saying she’s gonna be MORE PROTECTED THAN AT THE PALACE?????!?
Obviously the slave she treated like shit kidnaps her and I don’t even know how many times she’s almost raped on page. Then someone tries to EAT HER??? Actual cannibalism. The mmc gives her a nickname upon meeting because that too seems to be something that’s very popular lately. And then her captor tells her stuff like ‘you’re my property’ and something about him eating pussy so good and slamming hard so women always want him back???? I wanted to throw myself off a bridge.
The fmc tries to feel bad about wanting her captor. There’s a part of me that couldn’t believe I was reading this. There’s also a breeding stuff thrown at the end, just to make it all worse.
Honestly, I despise milk but I would drink a whole gallon if it meant I could forget I ever had the misfortune to read this.
September 1, 2026
Oh my god - I feel so dumb. How did I not see that coming?! What do you I was lied to for 388 pages?! Excuse me?! I need the next book asap. I seriously need to know how this story is going to play out. Also, the yearning? AHHHH
September 8, 2026
White Raven (Messengers of the Realm #1) Stacey Marie Brown
Book Blurb: “Harbingers of enlightened, bringers of darkness. Givers of life, tellers of death…significance flies on the backs of raven wings for those who dare to listen to its meaning. For we are the Messengers of the Realm.”
The White Raven was born to bring magic to the dying realm.
Rating: *****
Feels: Adventure, Grit, Entranced, Shocked
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Dark Romance, Fantasy Romance, Audiobook
First published September 1, 2026 : 360 pages
Themes & Setting: We are immediately pulled into a dark and gritty viking inspired world where Wrennlyn Stallard, the King’s only daughter had lived a life of privilege and is about to find out about the larger world !!
FMC: Wrennlyn is just turning 19, so she is your typical naive, thinks everything will work in your favor kind of girl. Her kidnapping on the night of her bethronal is just a complete and total dark wake up call to the world. Getting to watch as she experienced the outside world was fun and terrifying.
MMC: Its been awhile since they have made such a tasty flavor as Onyx. Cruel, Morally Grey and at times I was not sure what he was going to do. Totally the type of ride you want to sign up for.
Conclusion: I think the reason I loved this read so much was the way the fantasy world was built and brought to life. I always love that romance element, but the story had me totally seated. I loved the mystical elements and that because we were getting the narration from Wrennlyn who does not have all the facts we are learning as she does. I kinda love that unreliable narrator style.
Audiobook Review:
Narration Style: Solo
Listener Rating: *****
Audiobook Notes: The narration on this read was impactful and full of all the emotion I could wish for. Listening to this via audiobook kept me riveted to my seat and fully invested. I tend to listen to my audiobooks at 1.5 to 2.5 and I listened to this at 1.7 because that was the sweet spot for the accent for me and I was utterly in love with the style of narration on this. Very smooth transitions and I was always able to tell who was speaking and follow along with what was going on. Tone and pitch were smooth and pleasing to listen to. Really enjoyed this as an audiobook and would highly recommend this as an audiobook.
Favorite Quote: "You touch what’s mine, you even look or breathe in her direction or are anywhere in her vicinity. I will flay your lungs around your neck like a scarf."
Book Vibes:
Enemies to Lovers
World Building
High Stakes
Chosen One
Touch her and Die
Forced Proximity
One Horse
Slow Burn
Viking inspired
Dark and Gritty
Ends on a Cliffhanger (and wouldn't have it any other way)
*Leaving my original review up for funsies* Damn …. It’s gonna take me a bit to process that … like I don’t even know how to do a proper spoiler free review currently. I just know I feel like I got dragged through a dark gritty amazing world and punched a bunch and I’m gonna be recovering for a bit. This is the kind of book I will forever wish I could re read for the first time again. I just gonna … sit here … but yah. Definitely five stars.
Book Blurb: “Harbingers of enlightened, bringers of darkness. Givers of life, tellers of death…significance flies on the backs of raven wings for those who dare to listen to its meaning. For we are the Messengers of the Realm.”
The White Raven was born to bring magic to the dying realm.
Rating: *****
Feels: Adventure, Grit, Entranced, Shocked
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Dark Romance, Fantasy Romance, Audiobook
First published September 1, 2026 : 360 pages
Themes & Setting: We are immediately pulled into a dark and gritty viking inspired world where Wrennlyn Stallard, the King’s only daughter had lived a life of privilege and is about to find out about the larger world !!
FMC: Wrennlyn is just turning 19, so she is your typical naive, thinks everything will work in your favor kind of girl. Her kidnapping on the night of her bethronal is just a complete and total dark wake up call to the world. Getting to watch as she experienced the outside world was fun and terrifying.
MMC: Its been awhile since they have made such a tasty flavor as Onyx. Cruel, Morally Grey and at times I was not sure what he was going to do. Totally the type of ride you want to sign up for.
Conclusion: I think the reason I loved this read so much was the way the fantasy world was built and brought to life. I always love that romance element, but the story had me totally seated. I loved the mystical elements and that because we were getting the narration from Wrennlyn who does not have all the facts we are learning as she does. I kinda love that unreliable narrator style.
Audiobook Review:
Narration Style: Solo
Listener Rating: *****
Audiobook Notes: The narration on this read was impactful and full of all the emotion I could wish for. Listening to this via audiobook kept me riveted to my seat and fully invested. I tend to listen to my audiobooks at 1.5 to 2.5 and I listened to this at 1.7 because that was the sweet spot for the accent for me and I was utterly in love with the style of narration on this. Very smooth transitions and I was always able to tell who was speaking and follow along with what was going on. Tone and pitch were smooth and pleasing to listen to. Really enjoyed this as an audiobook and would highly recommend this as an audiobook.
Favorite Quote: "You touch what’s mine, you even look or breathe in her direction or are anywhere in her vicinity. I will flay your lungs around your neck like a scarf."
Book Vibes:
Enemies to Lovers
World Building
High Stakes
Chosen One
Touch her and Die
Forced Proximity
One Horse
Slow Burn
Viking inspired
Dark and Gritty
Ends on a Cliffhanger (and wouldn't have it any other way)
*Leaving my original review up for funsies* Damn …. It’s gonna take me a bit to process that … like I don’t even know how to do a proper spoiler free review currently. I just know I feel like I got dragged through a dark gritty amazing world and punched a bunch and I’m gonna be recovering for a bit. This is the kind of book I will forever wish I could re read for the first time again. I just gonna … sit here … but yah. Definitely five stars.
September 15, 2026
The White Raven is a standout Norse-inspired novel that pulls you in and doesn't let go, even after you've read the shocking twist ending.
In White Raven, our heroine Wren is the titular White Raven of prophecy. On the night of her betrothal to another, she is kidnapped by a fearsome thrall and taken away from her palace to the land of the Night Ravens. During her forced journey, she fights for her life and freedom every step of the way.
The romance is interesting. I found myself drawn to the fearsome Onyx when everything he did should have repelled me. Wren is in the same predicament; he should repulse her, but she can't stop thinking about him. I loved Munch and Fluffy, they were good comic relief that was welcome in a story as dark as this. Other characters are intriguing; I always wanted to know more about them.
This novel was thrilling and exciting. I can't believe I finished it in two weeks. I could not stop reading this. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good Norse-inspired romantasy; it's up there with the Road of Bones.
In White Raven, our heroine Wren is the titular White Raven of prophecy. On the night of her betrothal to another, she is kidnapped by a fearsome thrall and taken away from her palace to the land of the Night Ravens. During her forced journey, she fights for her life and freedom every step of the way.
The romance is interesting. I found myself drawn to the fearsome Onyx when everything he did should have repelled me. Wren is in the same predicament; he should repulse her, but she can't stop thinking about him. I loved Munch and Fluffy, they were good comic relief that was welcome in a story as dark as this. Other characters are intriguing; I always wanted to know more about them.
This novel was thrilling and exciting. I can't believe I finished it in two weeks. I could not stop reading this. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good Norse-inspired romantasy; it's up there with the Road of Bones.
September 19, 2026
Signature Brown—savage, stunning, and impossible to put down.
September 3, 2026
last page feels like rage bait
October 19, 2026
3 STARS
A true enemies to lovers with Norse mythology-inspired vibes? I am so sat. I mean, that blurb had me absolutely feral. I also love a good slow burn, and this one definitely delivered.
Wrennlyn Stallard, is a White Raven. The Day Raven King’s only daughter and one who has lived a sheltered and privileged life within the walls of Silverdale. She is also prophesied to hold great power, and her father has spent her life protecting her within the castle walls. Until the night of her betrothal, when she is kidnapped by the enemy from the Night Realm; the Northern Night Raven, who is charged to bring her to his king.
Onyx resents everything Wrennlyn stands for and who she is. He has one mission and he's paid a great price to complete it. The tension between these two is achingly slow. This is a true enemies to lovers. The tension builds slowly and painfully. It's not instant chemistry. These two loathe each other.
Now while I loved the premise of the story, I will admit it took me quite a few days. to finish it. I struggled with the magic system and the world building in parts. It took me entirely too long to fully wrap my head around everything. I also struggled with the FMC. She just felt very basic. Yes she grew up sheltered, but her naivety at times irked me. She just keeps getting kidnapped and going from one villain to another. She has a fight to her for sure, but she was also lackluster. I'm not sure how to describe it but I just struggled to fully connect with her for the majority of the book.
Onyx was a slow build as well. I spent many parts hating him as much as Wrennlyn did, but I equally loved to hate him, so I can't complain too much.
While I enjoyed the story for the most part, it just didn't grab me by the throat the way that Savage lands did when I read the first book. This is definitely a dark story, so be prepared for some graphic and sensitive content. Just when I finally started to get into the flow, we get hit with that cliffhanger. Did I spend about 45 minutes rocking myself in a corner after? I absolutely did. So while this book didn't fully blow me away, I'm definitely invested to continue. ESPECIALLY after THAT cliffhanger.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
I loathed him. He despised me. Each could gut the other right now and walk out without regret.
A true enemies to lovers with Norse mythology-inspired vibes? I am so sat. I mean, that blurb had me absolutely feral. I also love a good slow burn, and this one definitely delivered.
“Fuck you.”
“You keep asking. I don’t know how many times I have to say no.”
Wrennlyn Stallard, is a White Raven. The Day Raven King’s only daughter and one who has lived a sheltered and privileged life within the walls of Silverdale. She is also prophesied to hold great power, and her father has spent her life protecting her within the castle walls. Until the night of her betrothal, when she is kidnapped by the enemy from the Night Realm; the Northern Night Raven, who is charged to bring her to his king.
Onyx resents everything Wrennlyn stands for and who she is. He has one mission and he's paid a great price to complete it. The tension between these two is achingly slow. This is a true enemies to lovers. The tension builds slowly and painfully. It's not instant chemistry. These two loathe each other.
Now while I loved the premise of the story, I will admit it took me quite a few days. to finish it. I struggled with the magic system and the world building in parts. It took me entirely too long to fully wrap my head around everything. I also struggled with the FMC. She just felt very basic. Yes she grew up sheltered, but her naivety at times irked me. She just keeps getting kidnapped and going from one villain to another. She has a fight to her for sure, but she was also lackluster. I'm not sure how to describe it but I just struggled to fully connect with her for the majority of the book.
Onyx was a slow build as well. I spent many parts hating him as much as Wrennlyn did, but I equally loved to hate him, so I can't complain too much.
While I enjoyed the story for the most part, it just didn't grab me by the throat the way that Savage lands did when I read the first book. This is definitely a dark story, so be prepared for some graphic and sensitive content. Just when I finally started to get into the flow, we get hit with that cliffhanger. Did I spend about 45 minutes rocking myself in a corner after? I absolutely did. So while this book didn't fully blow me away, I'm definitely invested to continue. ESPECIALLY after THAT cliffhanger.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
August 29, 2026
🏹 “You are not in my league, little rabbit… I would eat you alive. You have no idea what I am capable of, how dark I can get. I’d tear you apart, use your blood as a lubricant while I devour your heart without a thought.”
I NEED BOOK 2 LIKE YESTERDAY. 💀
4.5⭐ 1🌶️
This book CONSUMED MY SOUL!!!!!
I literally felt like I was doing drugs the way I kept needing another hit every time I picked this book up 🤣🤣🤣
This is a LEGIT enemies to lovers story where you will genuinely question whether these two are ever even going to make it to the “lovers” part by the end 💀 these two are BRUTAL to eachother but the tension is sooooooo good like JUST KISS ALREADY
So basically, the White Raven is believed to be the key to healing a land that has been ravaged by a toxic war.
And then she gets kidnapped.
But what I LOVED about this is that we don’t know much more than she does.
We are thrown into this completely unfamiliar world alongside her, learning about the people, the magic, the war, and the motives behind her kidnapping as she does.
And THAT made me feel so immersed in the story because I was constantly trying to figure out what the hell was happening right alongside her. 👀
This is such a fastpaced, tension filled first book in the series and again… it genuinely felt like crack reading
I could NOT put it down.
The tension between these characters??? 🔥😮💨🤌🏼
And the ending had my JAW. ON. THE. FLOOR.
I was NOT expecting that at all, and now I’m sitting here desperately needing to know what the hell happens next!!!
💕You will enjoy this if you are into:
🏹 enemies to lovers
🏹 “I f***ing hate you… so why can’t I stop thinking about you!?”
🏹 dark romantasy
🏹 kidnapped FMC
🏹 powerful FMC with a mysterious destiny
🏹 "I bow to no one...." "Don't you?... Whose mark is this?... Who owns you, kanin?" 🥵
🏹 morally gray MMCs
🏹 ALLLLLL the tension
🏹 forbidden attraction
🏹 immersive worldbuilding
🏹 secrets & mysteries
🏹 fastpaced fantasy that you absolutely CANNOT put down
🏹 cliffhangers that leave you screaming I NEED BOOK 2 NOW STACEY MARIE BROWN 💀
I NEED BOOK 2 LIKE YESTERDAY. 💀
4.5⭐ 1🌶️
This book CONSUMED MY SOUL!!!!!
I literally felt like I was doing drugs the way I kept needing another hit every time I picked this book up 🤣🤣🤣
This is a LEGIT enemies to lovers story where you will genuinely question whether these two are ever even going to make it to the “lovers” part by the end 💀 these two are BRUTAL to eachother but the tension is sooooooo good like JUST KISS ALREADY
So basically, the White Raven is believed to be the key to healing a land that has been ravaged by a toxic war.
And then she gets kidnapped.
But what I LOVED about this is that we don’t know much more than she does.
We are thrown into this completely unfamiliar world alongside her, learning about the people, the magic, the war, and the motives behind her kidnapping as she does.
And THAT made me feel so immersed in the story because I was constantly trying to figure out what the hell was happening right alongside her. 👀
This is such a fastpaced, tension filled first book in the series and again… it genuinely felt like crack reading
I could NOT put it down.
The tension between these characters??? 🔥😮💨🤌🏼
And the ending had my JAW. ON. THE. FLOOR.
I was NOT expecting that at all, and now I’m sitting here desperately needing to know what the hell happens next!!!
💕You will enjoy this if you are into:
🏹 enemies to lovers
🏹 “I f***ing hate you… so why can’t I stop thinking about you!?”
🏹 dark romantasy
🏹 kidnapped FMC
🏹 powerful FMC with a mysterious destiny
🏹 "I bow to no one...." "Don't you?... Whose mark is this?... Who owns you, kanin?" 🥵
🏹 morally gray MMCs
🏹 ALLLLLL the tension
🏹 forbidden attraction
🏹 immersive worldbuilding
🏹 secrets & mysteries
🏹 fastpaced fantasy that you absolutely CANNOT put down
🏹 cliffhangers that leave you screaming I NEED BOOK 2 NOW STACEY MARIE BROWN 💀
Read
June 1, 2026A sizzling new romantasy series filled with pulse-pounding action, unforgettable side characters, and chemistry so hot it burns right off the page! When Wren is kidnapped by a broody, mysterious fae from the Night Realm, her world is turned upside down. White Raven is fast-paced, sexy, and so addictive!
November 3, 2026
Bahhhh I devoured this book! I can’t wait for book 2 to continue this high fantasy journey!!
September 26, 2026
Okay, so I finished White Raven by @staceymariebrown last week and I STILL haven’t stopped thinking about that ending!
Wren has been training to the be the White Raven her entire life. She was born to have the power to bring magic to her dying realm. At the beginning of the story her father, the king, has arranged for her to marry, but at the last minute she is KIDNAPPED.
I really enjoyed this story (without giving too much away). It IS on the darker side, so if you do not enjoy dark themes in fantasy then this book may not be for you.
The MMC is mysterious, strong, tattooed, and definitely morally grey.
The audiobook was fantastic. I enjoyed it so much I had to buy myself a shelf trophy (and it’s absolutely beautiful!). I can’t wait to read book two and see where this series is going next!
You’ll enjoy this book if you like the following:
True Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Banter & Tension
Dark Romantasy
Unique World Building
Prophecies
Viking/Norse Influence
Thank you so much to Stacey Marie Brown & @blackstonepublishing for the opportunity to listen to this book!
Wren has been training to the be the White Raven her entire life. She was born to have the power to bring magic to her dying realm. At the beginning of the story her father, the king, has arranged for her to marry, but at the last minute she is KIDNAPPED.
I really enjoyed this story (without giving too much away). It IS on the darker side, so if you do not enjoy dark themes in fantasy then this book may not be for you.
The MMC is mysterious, strong, tattooed, and definitely morally grey.
The audiobook was fantastic. I enjoyed it so much I had to buy myself a shelf trophy (and it’s absolutely beautiful!). I can’t wait to read book two and see where this series is going next!
You’ll enjoy this book if you like the following:
True Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Banter & Tension
Dark Romantasy
Unique World Building
Prophecies
Viking/Norse Influence
Thank you so much to Stacey Marie Brown & @blackstonepublishing for the opportunity to listen to this book!
August 6, 2026
Thank you Stacey and Blackwell Publishing for this eARC!
I’m torn between a 3 and a 3.5. The plot has a lot of potential. I mean it’s a kidnapping trope and that’s always a good time. Until it isn’t.
There is a lot of dark content in this book and the dialogue at times didn’t fit and took me out of the story. Almost making those dark themes seems like a joke - which isn’t ideal.
Our FMC is 18, which is already a bummer. She’s also quite annoying and stuck up. Granted she was raised as a Royal so what else would you expect? She’s been taught how to fight yet in every situation she finds herself in she can’t figure out how to fight.
I thought I’ve met morally black characters, then we meet our MMC. I honestly cannot tell you if I like him or not. And not in like a Theon St. Orcas kind of way. This pushed past (my) boundary of comfort of messed up. Girl. He kidnapped you and has literally not done a single attractive thing to you and you don’t know his name and know he’s your enemy and you’re… turned on? Like right away? Girl.
Every other chapter she gets almost murdered/eaten/SA’d. It’s a lot. If another crusty man has to mention “filling her with his seed” I’m gonna scream.
I think the only thing that kept me going was the need to know what the tattoo meant. And well. lol.
Then the ending happened and I was shocked but also it made me even more mad.
I might read book 2 when it exists just out morbid curiosity. Who’s to say.
I’m torn between a 3 and a 3.5. The plot has a lot of potential. I mean it’s a kidnapping trope and that’s always a good time. Until it isn’t.
There is a lot of dark content in this book and the dialogue at times didn’t fit and took me out of the story. Almost making those dark themes seems like a joke - which isn’t ideal.
Our FMC is 18, which is already a bummer. She’s also quite annoying and stuck up. Granted she was raised as a Royal so what else would you expect? She’s been taught how to fight yet in every situation she finds herself in she can’t figure out how to fight.
I thought I’ve met morally black characters, then we meet our MMC. I honestly cannot tell you if I like him or not. And not in like a Theon St. Orcas kind of way. This pushed past (my) boundary of comfort of messed up. Girl. He kidnapped you and has literally not done a single attractive thing to you and you don’t know his name and know he’s your enemy and you’re… turned on? Like right away? Girl.
Every other chapter she gets almost murdered/eaten/SA’d. It’s a lot. If another crusty man has to mention “filling her with his seed” I’m gonna scream.
I think the only thing that kept me going was the need to know what the tattoo meant. And well. lol.
Then the ending happened and I was shocked but also it made me even more mad.
I might read book 2 when it exists just out morbid curiosity. Who’s to say.
August 15, 2026
As a big fan of the Savage Lands series, I have to say I’m super disappointed. The story had potential - the sheltered princess is kidnapped by the hot, morally grey enemy and taken to the scary Night Raven kingdom. There’s some political intrigue and mysterious powers that the FMC is supposed to come into.
Unfortunately I found both MCs to be unlikable. They had no chemistry and the dialogue was very cringey at times. I never DNF, but I was honestly close to doing so. I didn’t because there were things that I wanted answers to, but ultimately the ending was chaotic and didn’t tell me much of anything. I won’t be continuing the series.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately I found both MCs to be unlikable. They had no chemistry and the dialogue was very cringey at times. I never DNF, but I was honestly close to doing so. I didn’t because there were things that I wanted answers to, but ultimately the ending was chaotic and didn’t tell me much of anything. I won’t be continuing the series.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
November 7, 2026
I could not put this book down. It is a dark fantasy romance and is so bingeable!! The FMC and MMC HATE each other 😍 - this is true enemies to lovers done right. The tension was sooo good and the ending left me 😮
November 6, 2026
Review to follow
September 21, 2026
oh my GOD?
I NEED BOOK TWO RIGHT THIS SECONDDDD!!!
I NEED BOOK TWO RIGHT THIS SECONDDDD!!!
September 14, 2026
thought about rating this 3 stars, but on further reflection I’m rating it 2 stars. Basically, it was fine? Maybe a little less than fine? I read it all the way through, hence why it’s 2 stars.
The first thing I thought while reading this was, “oh this feels a lot like From Blood and Ash”.
The second thing was, “This FMC is extremely annoying and unlikable”.
I felt like the plot was just repeating the same scenario over and over and over…. try to escape captor, get yourself caught by even worse people, original captor rescues you, continue on original journey.
The wasn’t much world building, not much to the plot, nothing original, every trope imaginable included.
All that to say, I will probably read the next one.
The first thing I thought while reading this was, “oh this feels a lot like From Blood and Ash”.
The second thing was, “This FMC is extremely annoying and unlikable”.
I felt like the plot was just repeating the same scenario over and over and over…. try to escape captor, get yourself caught by even worse people, original captor rescues you, continue on original journey.
The wasn’t much world building, not much to the plot, nothing original, every trope imaginable included.
All that to say, I will probably read the next one.
October 3, 2026
I have SO many conflicting feelings about White Raven. Was it my favorite book? Absolutely not. Did I have plenty of issues with it? Definitely. Did I still fly through it and immediately want the next book? Also yes.
First, the narration was really good, and I thought the audiobook was well done. Unfortunately, I had a much harder time connecting with the actual characters though.
Wren was honestly insufferable throughout the entire book. She is just shy of her nineteenth birthday, but the way she behaved often made her seem like a spoiled, entitled little brat. She had a tendency to treat people as though they were beneath her, and there were quite a few moments where I literally wanted to scream.
And then there’s Onyx. He’s a major jerk with an annoyingly cocky attitude. I’m usually very willing to get behind a red-flag MMC, but something about him just didn’t work for me. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between him and Wren. A lot of their dynamic felt more like Wren lusting after him despite the fact that he literally kidnapped her, followed by her spiraling into shame over those feelings. I never quite bought into the romance.
That said… I could not stop listening.
Despite all of my complaints, the story itself kept me completely engaged. I wasn’t bored for a single second, and there was always something happening that made me want to keep going. And that cliffhanger?! I NEED to know what happens next.
I also have a feeling that there is a lot more to both Wren and Onyx than what we see in this book. I’m holding out hope that we’ll get some character growth in the next installment and that I’ll eventually understand what everyone else seems to see in these two.
So would I recommend White Raven? Yes—but only to the right reader. If you need immediately likable characters and a swoony romance, this probably isn’t going to be for you. But if you’re okay with morally questionable characters, messy relationships, a darker story, and a cliffhanger that will have you reaching for book two anyway… you might want to give it a shot.
Was it my favorite? No.
Will I be reading the next book? Absolutely!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes ✨:
Dark Fantasy
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Kidnapping
Morally gray MMC
Chosen One
Touch her and Die
Slow Burn
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
First, the narration was really good, and I thought the audiobook was well done. Unfortunately, I had a much harder time connecting with the actual characters though.
Wren was honestly insufferable throughout the entire book. She is just shy of her nineteenth birthday, but the way she behaved often made her seem like a spoiled, entitled little brat. She had a tendency to treat people as though they were beneath her, and there were quite a few moments where I literally wanted to scream.
And then there’s Onyx. He’s a major jerk with an annoyingly cocky attitude. I’m usually very willing to get behind a red-flag MMC, but something about him just didn’t work for me. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between him and Wren. A lot of their dynamic felt more like Wren lusting after him despite the fact that he literally kidnapped her, followed by her spiraling into shame over those feelings. I never quite bought into the romance.
That said… I could not stop listening.
Despite all of my complaints, the story itself kept me completely engaged. I wasn’t bored for a single second, and there was always something happening that made me want to keep going. And that cliffhanger?! I NEED to know what happens next.
I also have a feeling that there is a lot more to both Wren and Onyx than what we see in this book. I’m holding out hope that we’ll get some character growth in the next installment and that I’ll eventually understand what everyone else seems to see in these two.
So would I recommend White Raven? Yes—but only to the right reader. If you need immediately likable characters and a swoony romance, this probably isn’t going to be for you. But if you’re okay with morally questionable characters, messy relationships, a darker story, and a cliffhanger that will have you reaching for book two anyway… you might want to give it a shot.
Was it my favorite? No.
Will I be reading the next book? Absolutely!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes ✨:
Dark Fantasy
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Kidnapping
Morally gray MMC
Chosen One
Touch her and Die
Slow Burn
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2026
It certainly ticks a few trope boxes for romantasy
I'm trying to be understanding that the FMC acting immature is believable. She's 18. I'm also trying to scrub from my brain her rolls in the hay as a literal child. I was glad she was entering this story with at least some combat style training, but instantly disappointed when she seemed to forget all survival skills.
I did not care for any romantic developments. The shift from enemies to enemies with lust feelings just didn't feel natural to the story. Having the FMC and MMC just remain enemies would have been more believable to me.
Outside of the relationship (?) I liked the plot. The curse, the deceptions, the world they're apart of was interesting enough. The end was pretty diabolical and I'll probably read the next book for answers to everything besides the possibility of a relationship between the FMC and MMC.
The narrator did and excellent job portraying the characters. Her tone fit the characters in this setting and I give her lots of credit for keeping so many character voices consistent.
Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the alc. All opinions are my own.
I'm trying to be understanding that the FMC acting immature is believable. She's 18. I'm also trying to scrub from my brain her rolls in the hay as a literal child. I was glad she was entering this story with at least some combat style training, but instantly disappointed when she seemed to forget all survival skills.
I did not care for any romantic developments. The shift from enemies to enemies with lust feelings just didn't feel natural to the story. Having the FMC and MMC just remain enemies would have been more believable to me.
Outside of the relationship (?) I liked the plot. The curse, the deceptions, the world they're apart of was interesting enough. The end was pretty diabolical and I'll probably read the next book for answers to everything besides the possibility of a relationship between the FMC and MMC.
The narrator did and excellent job portraying the characters. Her tone fit the characters in this setting and I give her lots of credit for keeping so many character voices consistent.
Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the alc. All opinions are my own.
October 8, 2026
This was so incredibly awful oh my god. I should’ve DNF’d but I decided to finish it out of spite. There will be spoilers bc like… ???? ew ????
The FMC is supposed to be this educated royal who’s been training to fight her whole life… yet she can’t seem to throw a punch to save her life and has zero decorum or class. Literally pees on the MMC… UM HELLO???? NASTY AS FUCK??? The whole book is her having ZERO survival instincts, running away from the MMC, getting caught by men who want to assault her then kill her… right. No plan, no weapon, just straight up idiot vibes. She has zero depth and just has panic attacks every ten pages.
The MMC is just vulgar and gross. Zero depth to him too. From the jump he’s grabbing onto the FMC and being up in her face and it was trying to give ~tension~ but it was whack as fuck. MMC spent the entire book talking about how good in bed he is and how much women want him… ENOUGH!!!!
So, the king is supposed to be the white raven’s dad right.. so why is it that the ending when the FMC reveals that she’s not the white raven everyone is foaming at the mouth for to kill, but actually her maid who is already dead… and said maid was the one trying to bang the king in the beginning of the book… THE KING WHO IS HER FATHER???? Like did my eyes deceive me… did I really read that right… EW. EW. EW.
Also??? The cannibalism side plot???? I actually almost threw up???? I could keep going about all the things I hated about this book but to keep a long story short… I hated all of it.
The FMC is supposed to be this educated royal who’s been training to fight her whole life… yet she can’t seem to throw a punch to save her life and has zero decorum or class. Literally pees on the MMC… UM HELLO???? NASTY AS FUCK??? The whole book is her having ZERO survival instincts, running away from the MMC, getting caught by men who want to assault her then kill her… right. No plan, no weapon, just straight up idiot vibes. She has zero depth and just has panic attacks every ten pages.
The MMC is just vulgar and gross. Zero depth to him too. From the jump he’s grabbing onto the FMC and being up in her face and it was trying to give ~tension~ but it was whack as fuck. MMC spent the entire book talking about how good in bed he is and how much women want him… ENOUGH!!!!
So, the king is supposed to be the white raven’s dad right.. so why is it that the ending when the FMC reveals that she’s not the white raven everyone is foaming at the mouth for to kill, but actually her maid who is already dead… and said maid was the one trying to bang the king in the beginning of the book… THE KING WHO IS HER FATHER???? Like did my eyes deceive me… did I really read that right… EW. EW. EW.
Also??? The cannibalism side plot???? I actually almost threw up???? I could keep going about all the things I hated about this book but to keep a long story short… I hated all of it.
October 1, 2026
The only possible way I could enjoy this book was if I was lobotomized, and even then it’s not guaranteed. I’m going to leave it there, because if I go into detail I fear that my blood pressure will rise to an unhealthy level.
September 6, 2026
This felt like a deliberate bait and switch. I was promised a strong and skilled FMC and instead I got a naive and whiny teenager.
October 4, 2026
The idea itself? Great. The execution? So sloppy.
There are so many plot holes, for example at one point in the book she cuts her hair, only to cut it again 100 pages later. Felt like the author forgot that she had already written that.....
The world building is there, but it feels like its still in its beginning baby stage, it doesnt feel that thought out or elaborate.
Overall I feel like this could of been such a great story if it would of been a bit more worked out in depth.
There are so many plot holes, for example at one point in the book she cuts her hair, only to cut it again 100 pages later. Felt like the author forgot that she had already written that.....
The world building is there, but it feels like its still in its beginning baby stage, it doesnt feel that thought out or elaborate.
Overall I feel like this could of been such a great story if it would of been a bit more worked out in depth.
July 21, 2026
Thank you Blackstone Publishing for sending me an ARC. 🖤
If you’ve been around for a while, you know how much I love Stacey Marie Brown’s books, so it should come as no surprise that I devoured White Raven. 🖤
She knows how to write a TRUE enemies-to-lovers romance. I’m talking actual enemies, sharp banter, insane tension, and the kind of chemistry that had me kicking my feet the entire book. And somehow, she always gives me exactly the kind of FMC I love: a baddie who is strong and capable without being unrealistically invincible.
Wrennlyn has trained her entire life to be the White Raven, knowing whoever holds her holds the power. She can fight, but she also knows she isn’t overpowering a man twice her size, so she watches, waits, and learns when to seize an opportunity. She starts incredibly sheltered and naive, but never stupid. Watching her slowly uncover the truth, question everything she was raised to believe, and begin making her own choices was one of my favorite parts of the book.
And ONYX. 🫠 A tortured, filthy-mouthed Nightland Raven who hates everything Wrennlyn represents, yet has an overwhelming need to protect her? He never coddles her or hides the ugliness of the world from her. He challenges her, shows her the truths no one else bothered to, and sees her in a way no one else ever has. I loved him.
The Viking-inspired world, raven lore, Day/Night/Dusk realms, Blood War, curse, and magic system felt so unique. Add in found family, side characters I immediately became attached to, and a little Groundling that gave me all the feelings my beloved Brownie from Savage Lands did, and I was sold.
But that ending?! I NEVER GUESSED IT. Not once. Not even close. I genuinely think this is going to be one of those books that takes the book world by storm once readers get their hands on it.
If you’ve been around for a while, you know how much I love Stacey Marie Brown’s books, so it should come as no surprise that I devoured White Raven. 🖤
She knows how to write a TRUE enemies-to-lovers romance. I’m talking actual enemies, sharp banter, insane tension, and the kind of chemistry that had me kicking my feet the entire book. And somehow, she always gives me exactly the kind of FMC I love: a baddie who is strong and capable without being unrealistically invincible.
Wrennlyn has trained her entire life to be the White Raven, knowing whoever holds her holds the power. She can fight, but she also knows she isn’t overpowering a man twice her size, so she watches, waits, and learns when to seize an opportunity. She starts incredibly sheltered and naive, but never stupid. Watching her slowly uncover the truth, question everything she was raised to believe, and begin making her own choices was one of my favorite parts of the book.
And ONYX. 🫠 A tortured, filthy-mouthed Nightland Raven who hates everything Wrennlyn represents, yet has an overwhelming need to protect her? He never coddles her or hides the ugliness of the world from her. He challenges her, shows her the truths no one else bothered to, and sees her in a way no one else ever has. I loved him.
The Viking-inspired world, raven lore, Day/Night/Dusk realms, Blood War, curse, and magic system felt so unique. Add in found family, side characters I immediately became attached to, and a little Groundling that gave me all the feelings my beloved Brownie from Savage Lands did, and I was sold.
But that ending?! I NEVER GUESSED IT. Not once. Not even close. I genuinely think this is going to be one of those books that takes the book world by storm once readers get their hands on it.
October 15, 2026
This one is hard for me to rate. I’m wavering between a 2.75-3 stars. On one hand, I was mostly engaged and like the premise. But on the other, I had a hard time liking the MCs, plus this needs trigger warnings (SA, self harm, cannibalism).
Wrennlyn, the White Raven, is foretold to end the curse that’s stripped magic and is plaguing the land. Before her wedding, she’s kidnapped by the enemy realm to bring power to them. On the journey there, Wren must face the ignorance that being a privileged princess has afforded her while fighting her attraction to her kidnapper.
The premise is what really had me so excited to read this. A dark romance, curses, magic, falling for the enemy - yes please! Unfortunately not all of it worked for me.
There is an adorable creature friend and zombie(?) horse that I quickly fell in love with. Wren’s interactions with them is so funny and sweet. I just wish she was more likable. She is young and naive but her privileged attitude is what put me off the most. Onyx, the MMC, is attracted to her but it seems mostly physical and that he just wants to humiliate her the same way he was.
The story moves quickly although it’s quite repetitive, especially in the middle. Wren is constantly being taken, SAd, and then rescued by her kidnapper. The cannibalism really caught me off guard and I had to put the book down for a while after that. I understand her world is brutal but I would’ve loved if there was more lore woven in instead of the repetition. The last fourth of the book is much more interesting with the characters, realm, and prophecy. It was what I was hoping more of the book would have.
I can also see the ending being a hit or miss. To me, there wasn’t enough set up for it plus it gives me the ick thinking of what was said in the beginning. But I know for others it will be jaw dropping and have them reaching for book 2.
If you’re looking for a fast paced and very dark romantasy, I think this could work for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy.
Wrennlyn, the White Raven, is foretold to end the curse that’s stripped magic and is plaguing the land. Before her wedding, she’s kidnapped by the enemy realm to bring power to them. On the journey there, Wren must face the ignorance that being a privileged princess has afforded her while fighting her attraction to her kidnapper.
The premise is what really had me so excited to read this. A dark romance, curses, magic, falling for the enemy - yes please! Unfortunately not all of it worked for me.
There is an adorable creature friend and zombie(?) horse that I quickly fell in love with. Wren’s interactions with them is so funny and sweet. I just wish she was more likable. She is young and naive but her privileged attitude is what put me off the most. Onyx, the MMC, is attracted to her but it seems mostly physical and that he just wants to humiliate her the same way he was.
The story moves quickly although it’s quite repetitive, especially in the middle. Wren is constantly being taken, SAd, and then rescued by her kidnapper. The cannibalism really caught me off guard and I had to put the book down for a while after that. I understand her world is brutal but I would’ve loved if there was more lore woven in instead of the repetition. The last fourth of the book is much more interesting with the characters, realm, and prophecy. It was what I was hoping more of the book would have.
I can also see the ending being a hit or miss. To me, there wasn’t enough set up for it plus it gives me the ick thinking of what was said in the beginning. But I know for others it will be jaw dropping and have them reaching for book 2.
If you’re looking for a fast paced and very dark romantasy, I think this could work for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy.
September 30, 2026
4,5⭐️
I completely fell for this book. I went into it expecting a decent dark fantasy, but Stacey Marie Brown pulled me so deep into this story that I couldn't put it down. The world she built is so dark, rich, and moody—that whole Norse-inspired lore, the flightless ravens, and the generational blood feud between the Day and Night Realms had me hooked from the start.
Wren is stubborn, sharp-tongued, and has a spine made of pure steel. Even when her life gets completely upended and she’s forced into a dangerous, hostile journey, she utterly refuses to play the helpless victim. I loved how she used her dark humor and sheer spite as armor, fighting for every single scrap of control she could get.
And Onyx... god, Onyx. Cold, lethal, and completely driven by revenge. The forced proximity between them on the road was pure, delicious torture. This isn't some fake, instant-attraction trope—it’s a true, gritty enemies to lovers where the tension is suffocating, the danger is real, and his quiet, terrifying obsession with her slowly unravels him page by page.
The overall atmosphere is heavy, raw, and full of genuine stakes. Watching Wrennlyn hold her own while the dynamic between them grows so intensely magnetic made every single moment worth it.
I completely fell for this book. I went into it expecting a decent dark fantasy, but Stacey Marie Brown pulled me so deep into this story that I couldn't put it down. The world she built is so dark, rich, and moody—that whole Norse-inspired lore, the flightless ravens, and the generational blood feud between the Day and Night Realms had me hooked from the start.
Wren is stubborn, sharp-tongued, and has a spine made of pure steel. Even when her life gets completely upended and she’s forced into a dangerous, hostile journey, she utterly refuses to play the helpless victim. I loved how she used her dark humor and sheer spite as armor, fighting for every single scrap of control she could get.
And Onyx... god, Onyx. Cold, lethal, and completely driven by revenge. The forced proximity between them on the road was pure, delicious torture. This isn't some fake, instant-attraction trope—it’s a true, gritty enemies to lovers where the tension is suffocating, the danger is real, and his quiet, terrifying obsession with her slowly unravels him page by page.
The overall atmosphere is heavy, raw, and full of genuine stakes. Watching Wrennlyn hold her own while the dynamic between them grows so intensely magnetic made every single moment worth it.
October 26, 2026
Well, I was definitely not prepared for that ending.
I loved the Norse-inspired worldbuilding and the dark, mysterious atmosphere. There were secrets, danger, and just enough tension to keep me invested. Wren and Onyx had me hooked, and I really enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between them. The slow shift from hostility to something more had me kicking my feet a little.
Wren frustrated me at times, but I also enjoyed watching her navigate a world so different from the one she knew. And Onyx? That man is dangerous, infuriating, and entirely too intriguing for his own good. I definitely understand the appeal.
A few parts felt like they could have been tighter, which is why I’m not quite at five stars, but overall, I had a really good time with this one. The atmosphere, the chemistry, and all the secrets kept me turning pages, and that ending left me needing answers immediately.
Safe to say, I’m ready for more.
I loved the Norse-inspired worldbuilding and the dark, mysterious atmosphere. There were secrets, danger, and just enough tension to keep me invested. Wren and Onyx had me hooked, and I really enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between them. The slow shift from hostility to something more had me kicking my feet a little.
Wren frustrated me at times, but I also enjoyed watching her navigate a world so different from the one she knew. And Onyx? That man is dangerous, infuriating, and entirely too intriguing for his own good. I definitely understand the appeal.
A few parts felt like they could have been tighter, which is why I’m not quite at five stars, but overall, I had a really good time with this one. The atmosphere, the chemistry, and all the secrets kept me turning pages, and that ending left me needing answers immediately.
Safe to say, I’m ready for more.
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