What do you think?
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.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Stacey Marie Brown
59 books6,692 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 522 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 19, 2026
Signature Brown—savage, stunning, and impossible to put down.
September 3, 2026
last page feels like rage bait
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 💀
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.
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!
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.
September 21, 2026
oh my GOD?
I NEED BOOK TWO RIGHT THIS SECONDDDD!!!
I NEED BOOK TWO RIGHT THIS SECONDDDD!!!
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
August 30, 2026
White Raven(book one in the The Messengers of the Realm trilogy,)by Stacey Marie Brown
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 stars
Now THAT’S what I like. Exhilarating action before chapter five. Thank you, Stacey Marie Brown, for respecting my limited patience and getting straight to business!
Wrenlynn is King Stallard’s daughter, the prophesied White Raven, and destined to save the realms on her nineteenth birthday. (No pressure or anything.) Her father decides marrying her off is the best way to protect her but before that can happen, she’s kidnapped by two thralls who have actually been undercover Night Ravens for MONTHS planning the whole thing. And now they have to get her all the way back to the Night Realm without dying. Easier said than done considering every other group they run into either wants to kill Wren or steal her and make her their own thrall. Meanwhile, war between the Day and Night Ravens is getting closer and you learn more about both realms and their history as Wren does. Which I much prefer over being handed seventeen pages of information and expected to remember any of it.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this one, but chapter seven hit NASTY and reminded me exactly why I love Stacey Marie Brown. Then there’s one of Wren’s kidnappers, this mysterious Northerner who was STILL refusing to tell her his damn name at 40%. Sir. You KIDNAPPED her. You’ve dragged her halfway across the realms. People keep trying to murder you. I think we’re past being coy about your name. 😂 Thankfully, some random barmaid at a tavern casually calls him Onyx and ruins his whole mysterious act for him. I laughed. And if Wren and Onyx somehow end up lovers, it will be an act of their Norse gods because these two are absolutely, positively enemies right now. Then around halfway through… THAT PLOT TWIST. Did not see it coming. And the moment right before it?! Do you know how interesting that COULD have been? But apparently the author had other plans for us.
And Onyx. Fucking Onyx. He is a brute. Cruel. Dangerous. Murderous. Mostly an asshole. And every once in a while there’s this teeny tiny smidge of compassion hiding under all that violence. Blink and you missed it. Naturally, I LOVE HIM. 😂 The Night King was another surprise because that man was absolutely not what I expected. Ruthless, yes. But also kind of a weirdo? I don’t know what else to call him. Between the constant danger, betrayals, twists, raven lore, and whatever the hell is brewing between Wren and Onyx, I had a really good time with this And THEN Stacey waits until the literal last line to drop one final doozy of a twist on us. Excuse me?! You couldn’t have given me another paragraph to process that information? Nothing?? Just close the book and live with it, apparently. 4 stars. And yes, after THAT ending, I’ll absolutely be reading the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the digital advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Expected publication date: September 1, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 stars
Now THAT’S what I like. Exhilarating action before chapter five. Thank you, Stacey Marie Brown, for respecting my limited patience and getting straight to business!
Wrenlynn is King Stallard’s daughter, the prophesied White Raven, and destined to save the realms on her nineteenth birthday. (No pressure or anything.) Her father decides marrying her off is the best way to protect her but before that can happen, she’s kidnapped by two thralls who have actually been undercover Night Ravens for MONTHS planning the whole thing. And now they have to get her all the way back to the Night Realm without dying. Easier said than done considering every other group they run into either wants to kill Wren or steal her and make her their own thrall. Meanwhile, war between the Day and Night Ravens is getting closer and you learn more about both realms and their history as Wren does. Which I much prefer over being handed seventeen pages of information and expected to remember any of it.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this one, but chapter seven hit NASTY and reminded me exactly why I love Stacey Marie Brown. Then there’s one of Wren’s kidnappers, this mysterious Northerner who was STILL refusing to tell her his damn name at 40%. Sir. You KIDNAPPED her. You’ve dragged her halfway across the realms. People keep trying to murder you. I think we’re past being coy about your name. 😂 Thankfully, some random barmaid at a tavern casually calls him Onyx and ruins his whole mysterious act for him. I laughed. And if Wren and Onyx somehow end up lovers, it will be an act of their Norse gods because these two are absolutely, positively enemies right now. Then around halfway through… THAT PLOT TWIST. Did not see it coming. And the moment right before it?! Do you know how interesting that COULD have been? But apparently the author had other plans for us.
And Onyx. Fucking Onyx. He is a brute. Cruel. Dangerous. Murderous. Mostly an asshole. And every once in a while there’s this teeny tiny smidge of compassion hiding under all that violence. Blink and you missed it. Naturally, I LOVE HIM. 😂 The Night King was another surprise because that man was absolutely not what I expected. Ruthless, yes. But also kind of a weirdo? I don’t know what else to call him. Between the constant danger, betrayals, twists, raven lore, and whatever the hell is brewing between Wren and Onyx, I had a really good time with this And THEN Stacey waits until the literal last line to drop one final doozy of a twist on us. Excuse me?! You couldn’t have given me another paragraph to process that information? Nothing?? Just close the book and live with it, apparently. 4 stars. And yes, after THAT ending, I’ll absolutely be reading the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the digital advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Expected publication date: September 1, 2026
October 7, 2026
Wrennlyn is a young princess, known as the White Raven, from Silvervale, home of the Eastern Day Ravens. Her people were once friends with the neighboring Northern Night Ravens, but after the Battle of Blood, the two clans became enemies. After the battle, a prophecy was proclaimed about a child with immense power who would one day reunite the clans. But the prophecy was never fulfilled… or at least, not yet 👀
But when rumors of Night Raven guards near the border start spreading, Wren’s father promises her hand in marriage to the heir of the allied Blaxhall clan. The wedding is supposed to happen shortly after… Then Wren has a strange encounter inside the palace with a handsome, strong Night Raven warrior who completely shakes her to her core… but NOTHING prepares her for what happens next.
She gets KIDNAPPED. On her wedding night. 😱 and ends up losing her best friend that same night.
At this point, I could not stop reading. I knew it was going to be a long night! I can’t resist a good enemies-to-lovers kidnapping situation 😏
Wren and her captor, Onyx, embark on a dangerous journey toward the Night Raven realm, crossing the Shadow Rift, a dangerous no-man’s land between the two realms. Along the way, they encounter all kinds of dark and terrifying creatures, including cannibals and criminals completely deprived of their souls.
As Wren and Onyx are forced to fight together just to survive, their walls slowly start coming down. Somewhere between all the danger, fighting, and forced proximity… an unexpected attraction starts to develop. 👀🔥 I LOVED the tension and bickering between these two.
And THAT ENDING?! 😭
Let’s just say… I need the sequel ASAP. 🖤
But when rumors of Night Raven guards near the border start spreading, Wren’s father promises her hand in marriage to the heir of the allied Blaxhall clan. The wedding is supposed to happen shortly after… Then Wren has a strange encounter inside the palace with a handsome, strong Night Raven warrior who completely shakes her to her core… but NOTHING prepares her for what happens next.
She gets KIDNAPPED. On her wedding night. 😱 and ends up losing her best friend that same night.
At this point, I could not stop reading. I knew it was going to be a long night! I can’t resist a good enemies-to-lovers kidnapping situation 😏
Wren and her captor, Onyx, embark on a dangerous journey toward the Night Raven realm, crossing the Shadow Rift, a dangerous no-man’s land between the two realms. Along the way, they encounter all kinds of dark and terrifying creatures, including cannibals and criminals completely deprived of their souls.
As Wren and Onyx are forced to fight together just to survive, their walls slowly start coming down. Somewhere between all the danger, fighting, and forced proximity… an unexpected attraction starts to develop. 👀🔥 I LOVED the tension and bickering between these two.
And THAT ENDING?! 😭
Let’s just say… I need the sequel ASAP. 🖤
August 27, 2026
White Raven, book 1 in a new trilogy
I loved every second of this book, I could not put it down! The hardest part of finishing this one was knowing it is the first in a trilogy, and O M G THE ENDING!!!! That last page had my jaw dropped, and desperately needing answers! But, alas, I must wait for book 2!!
Stacey Marie Brown is such an amazing author, and once again has created an amazing fantasy world, with 2 kingdoms, one living in perpetual sunlight, and the other living in the night, with a shadowland between. FMC Wren is the daughter of the Day King, and has lived a very sheltered and privileged life, especially being the prophesized White Raven. Wren has been taught to fear the night kingdom and that they are the greatest enemy, a horrible people. MMC Onyx, a lowly thrall working in Wren's castle, ends up to purposely be there on his mission, to bring Wren to the Night King. On the journey to the night kingdom, passing through the Shadowlands, Wren slowly realizes that she knows very little truth of the greater world than she was taught. Literally fighting for their lives throughout the journey, Onyx and Wren (against her will), make their way to the night kingdom. What will happen to the White Raven once there?
I really felt for Wren, when she starts to learn that a lot of what she was taught was inaccurate. As Onyx tells her ""History is written by the winners to make themselves the heroes, not about the truth.”" Wren and Onyx start their journey hating each other, with Wren making failed escape attempts several times. But as the journey towards the night kingdom goes on, Wren "feels" towards Onyx in a way she should not. The sexual tension between Onyx and Wren is just chef's kiss perfection. And then what Onyx does to Wren with a tattoo...GAH it is like one of the most seductive scenes for the reader, and we don't even understand the gravity of it until the end.
Onyx is the morally grey character you are looking for, he is broody, grumpy, large, and while a kidnapper, he also Wren's protector, even if that protection is just to deliver her to his king.
And let's talk about the creatures! Munch!!! The absolute cutest sounding little creature called a groundling, becomes quite important in his own way in the story. As well as the draugrhest or Ghosthorse, I love the description of "Fluffy" and how he and Munch have a bit of a hate/hate relationship.
There is so much action in this story, at every turn it seems Onyx and Wren are fighting to not get eaten, kidnapped, or murdered.
The ending is everything, and also will make you scream, wanting more. I cannot wait for book 2!! Thank you so much to the author for a copy of this book!!
Some fav quotes:
Dedication - "Dedicated to those who have found the real world darker than our fantasies . . . You are welcome to enter."
"“Compared to what your kind did to me? Peeing on me is just foreplay, kanin.”"
"My brain and body were exhausted, and I found myself burrowing deeper into his chest. A shield against the dangers of the terrain. It was a trauma response. It had to be."
"The carnal depravity of his soul was soiling mine."
"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.”"
"Onyx was rough and masculine, but there was dark beauty in his structure and deep scars. "
"The flames flickering over his tall build, his broad shoulders flexing as he moved, his sculpted ass and thick muscular thighs. His body was for worship, to fall to your knees in awe."
I loved every second of this book, I could not put it down! The hardest part of finishing this one was knowing it is the first in a trilogy, and O M G THE ENDING!!!! That last page had my jaw dropped, and desperately needing answers! But, alas, I must wait for book 2!!
Stacey Marie Brown is such an amazing author, and once again has created an amazing fantasy world, with 2 kingdoms, one living in perpetual sunlight, and the other living in the night, with a shadowland between. FMC Wren is the daughter of the Day King, and has lived a very sheltered and privileged life, especially being the prophesized White Raven. Wren has been taught to fear the night kingdom and that they are the greatest enemy, a horrible people. MMC Onyx, a lowly thrall working in Wren's castle, ends up to purposely be there on his mission, to bring Wren to the Night King. On the journey to the night kingdom, passing through the Shadowlands, Wren slowly realizes that she knows very little truth of the greater world than she was taught. Literally fighting for their lives throughout the journey, Onyx and Wren (against her will), make their way to the night kingdom. What will happen to the White Raven once there?
I really felt for Wren, when she starts to learn that a lot of what she was taught was inaccurate. As Onyx tells her ""History is written by the winners to make themselves the heroes, not about the truth.”" Wren and Onyx start their journey hating each other, with Wren making failed escape attempts several times. But as the journey towards the night kingdom goes on, Wren "feels" towards Onyx in a way she should not. The sexual tension between Onyx and Wren is just chef's kiss perfection. And then what Onyx does to Wren with a tattoo...GAH it is like one of the most seductive scenes for the reader, and we don't even understand the gravity of it until the end.
Onyx is the morally grey character you are looking for, he is broody, grumpy, large, and while a kidnapper, he also Wren's protector, even if that protection is just to deliver her to his king.
And let's talk about the creatures! Munch!!! The absolute cutest sounding little creature called a groundling, becomes quite important in his own way in the story. As well as the draugrhest or Ghosthorse, I love the description of "Fluffy" and how he and Munch have a bit of a hate/hate relationship.
There is so much action in this story, at every turn it seems Onyx and Wren are fighting to not get eaten, kidnapped, or murdered.
The ending is everything, and also will make you scream, wanting more. I cannot wait for book 2!! Thank you so much to the author for a copy of this book!!
Some fav quotes:
Dedication - "Dedicated to those who have found the real world darker than our fantasies . . . You are welcome to enter."
"“Compared to what your kind did to me? Peeing on me is just foreplay, kanin.”"
"My brain and body were exhausted, and I found myself burrowing deeper into his chest. A shield against the dangers of the terrain. It was a trauma response. It had to be."
"The carnal depravity of his soul was soiling mine."
"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.”"
"Onyx was rough and masculine, but there was dark beauty in his structure and deep scars. "
"The flames flickering over his tall build, his broad shoulders flexing as he moved, his sculpted ass and thick muscular thighs. His body was for worship, to fall to your knees in awe."
September 22, 2026
I had a lot of conflicted feelings during this book. Parts of the story were really good but there was so much that also began to bother me. The more that I thought about it, it was more that it was the POTENTIAL of this book that I was hooking my hopes to. The premise was intriguing. The world was unique and something I hadn’t seen before. Those two things had me excited as I started the book but unfortunately, in the end it felt more like the outline of a picture that you were going to color - you had the lines drawn that created the picture, but nothing was colored in.
In this world there are two main countries and they are at war (kind of a Cold War whereas there is no active fighting now). There are the DayRavens (they have the sunlight and no darkness) and then there are the NightRavens (They have only night, no sunlight ever). There was a war several hundred years ago and after the war, the land was cursed and broken in those 2 sections. There is a prophecy that the White Raven will repair the land on her 19th birthday and “he who holds the White Raven holds the power”
Wren is the White Raven and she is 18 years old. She lives in the DayRavens castle as the daughter of the DayRavens King.
We meet FMC Wren at the beginning and I have to admit that while I do not mind a character that starts off needing some growth, there are a couple of things that in my mind are hard to come back from. For Wren, it was the way she treated a thrall who was working in her castle (she is a Princess). He is kneeling on the floor cleaning the floor and she kicks him and ends up spilling his water on him. Why? Because she was mad that he wasn’t looking at her with enough deference. Thralls are basically slaves that their kingdom has captured (They are the DayRavens and the thralls are their enemies - the NightRavens). And then if that isn’t bad enough, she does it again by screaming at him and saying some derogatory things to the same thrall at another time. Again, because she was in a bad mood. The thrall did nothing to deserve it either time.
When the book starts, she is an entitled, spoiled Princess who does not realize the suffering of anyone else. She lives in a bubble where she is pampered every day and blind to what is actually going on in her kingdom. To be fair, her father is partially responsible for keeping her in the dark, but if she took one minute to actually question anything she has been taught, things were pretty obvious.
The other issue was the fact that we are told that she has been trained her entire life - weapons, hand to hand, even knives- because she is the White Raven. Yet when she is kidnapped, she apparently forgot EVERY SINGLE THING she had been taught. Not only can she not defend herself AT ALL, but she ends up getting herself almost killed so many times that I lost track. Her kidnapper- Onyx - actually ends up having to save her several times from other criminals after she wanders off.
And about that, every single man who tries to kidnap her always says things like “I’m going to fill you with my seed” Seriously? Ugh. Every one. I can’t remember a protagonist almost getting se*ually assaulted as many times as she almost does. It’s quite crazy.
But then the thing is, I liked the actual story. I liked Onyx. I liked the whole White Raven prophecy and I would like to find out what is going to happen.
See? Conflicting feelings.
Am I going to continue? Yep. I think I am.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks | Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. This book is out for publication on November 3rd, 2026.
In this world there are two main countries and they are at war (kind of a Cold War whereas there is no active fighting now). There are the DayRavens (they have the sunlight and no darkness) and then there are the NightRavens (They have only night, no sunlight ever). There was a war several hundred years ago and after the war, the land was cursed and broken in those 2 sections. There is a prophecy that the White Raven will repair the land on her 19th birthday and “he who holds the White Raven holds the power”
Wren is the White Raven and she is 18 years old. She lives in the DayRavens castle as the daughter of the DayRavens King.
We meet FMC Wren at the beginning and I have to admit that while I do not mind a character that starts off needing some growth, there are a couple of things that in my mind are hard to come back from. For Wren, it was the way she treated a thrall who was working in her castle (she is a Princess). He is kneeling on the floor cleaning the floor and she kicks him and ends up spilling his water on him. Why? Because she was mad that he wasn’t looking at her with enough deference. Thralls are basically slaves that their kingdom has captured (They are the DayRavens and the thralls are their enemies - the NightRavens). And then if that isn’t bad enough, she does it again by screaming at him and saying some derogatory things to the same thrall at another time. Again, because she was in a bad mood. The thrall did nothing to deserve it either time.
When the book starts, she is an entitled, spoiled Princess who does not realize the suffering of anyone else. She lives in a bubble where she is pampered every day and blind to what is actually going on in her kingdom. To be fair, her father is partially responsible for keeping her in the dark, but if she took one minute to actually question anything she has been taught, things were pretty obvious.
The other issue was the fact that we are told that she has been trained her entire life - weapons, hand to hand, even knives- because she is the White Raven. Yet when she is kidnapped, she apparently forgot EVERY SINGLE THING she had been taught. Not only can she not defend herself AT ALL, but she ends up getting herself almost killed so many times that I lost track. Her kidnapper- Onyx - actually ends up having to save her several times from other criminals after she wanders off.
And about that, every single man who tries to kidnap her always says things like “I’m going to fill you with my seed” Seriously? Ugh. Every one. I can’t remember a protagonist almost getting se*ually assaulted as many times as she almost does. It’s quite crazy.
But then the thing is, I liked the actual story. I liked Onyx. I liked the whole White Raven prophecy and I would like to find out what is going to happen.
See? Conflicting feelings.
Am I going to continue? Yep. I think I am.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks | Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. This book is out for publication on November 3rd, 2026.
September 26, 2026
Intense, gritty, brutal, addicting, DARK
ALL 👏 THE 👏STARS 👏
Once again, I stayed up past 1 a.m. reading because I could. not. put. this. book. down.
I did an immersive read of White Raven by Stacey Marie Brown with the KU ebook + the NetGalley ALC from Blackstone Publishing. THANK YOU for the gifted ALC because the audiobook is 🔥🔥🔥. I actually was just going to only listen to the audio, but quickly realized I was writing down so many quotes, it would be best to highlight on my kindle also.
Katherine Littrell pulled me into Wren’s world...aggressively (in the best way). The fear, anger, confusion, tension, despair, etc... all came through perfectly. Bahahaha and Bjørn in audio?! Yeah...that did absolutely NOTHING to help my obsession 🫠
I was going to promise to write a more cohesive review later, but whats better than the 2am ramblings of a reader who cannot go to sleep because she is still immersed in a story she finished? I don’t think I’m ever going to forget this book.
Wren was raised in the kingdom of the Day Ravens, taught from childhood that the Night Ravens were horrible, evil people deserving of every terrible fate that came their way. ...and she is not kind.
Then she’s captured by a Night Raven.
Wren learns pretty quickly that she knows VERY little about the world she lives in...or the people who inhabit it.
There are some pretty brutal parts in this book, so PLEASE check your triggers. When I say it gets dark, I mean DARK.
I need book 2. Now.
Also, I wasn’t going to buy the hardcover because OVER $30 FOR A BOOK UNDER 400 PAGES?! In this economy?
Yeah...
After reading it, I’m absolutely buying that hardcover 😂 Don't judge me. I need it.
All the stars. Every single one.
Favorite quotes:
🖤 “Yes, kanin.” He spoke only loud enough for me to hear. “There is a lot of beauty in darkness.”
🖤 “You are such a brute, Bjørn Larrsen.” She smacked his shoulder. “Well, you clearly know my name, do I get the honor of yours, sweetheart, since I’ll be waking up in your bed tomorrow?” “You’re a beast.” She laughed again. “I hope I can be later.”
🖤 “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“You haven’t given me reason not to yet.” He shrugged. “The moment you do . . . well, they don’t call me bear for nothing, sweetheart, so let’s not challenge me.”
🖤 “History is written by the winners to make themselves the heroes, not about the truth.”
🖤 “This is my mark on your skin. Mine.”
🖤 “I've taken on cannibals and murderers; I can certainly handle a pretty boy like you.”
🖤 “Under the colors of our feathers we're all just Ravens, right?”
🖤 “Breathe, kanin.”
🖤 And pretty much any part Bjørn was in.
ALL 👏 THE 👏STARS 👏
Once again, I stayed up past 1 a.m. reading because I could. not. put. this. book. down.
I did an immersive read of White Raven by Stacey Marie Brown with the KU ebook + the NetGalley ALC from Blackstone Publishing. THANK YOU for the gifted ALC because the audiobook is 🔥🔥🔥. I actually was just going to only listen to the audio, but quickly realized I was writing down so many quotes, it would be best to highlight on my kindle also.
Katherine Littrell pulled me into Wren’s world...aggressively (in the best way). The fear, anger, confusion, tension, despair, etc... all came through perfectly. Bahahaha and Bjørn in audio?! Yeah...that did absolutely NOTHING to help my obsession 🫠
I was going to promise to write a more cohesive review later, but whats better than the 2am ramblings of a reader who cannot go to sleep because she is still immersed in a story she finished? I don’t think I’m ever going to forget this book.
Wren was raised in the kingdom of the Day Ravens, taught from childhood that the Night Ravens were horrible, evil people deserving of every terrible fate that came their way. ...and she is not kind.
Then she’s captured by a Night Raven.
Wren learns pretty quickly that she knows VERY little about the world she lives in...or the people who inhabit it.
There are some pretty brutal parts in this book, so PLEASE check your triggers. When I say it gets dark, I mean DARK.
I need book 2. Now.
Also, I wasn’t going to buy the hardcover because OVER $30 FOR A BOOK UNDER 400 PAGES?! In this economy?
Yeah...
After reading it, I’m absolutely buying that hardcover 😂 Don't judge me. I need it.
All the stars. Every single one.
Favorite quotes:
🖤 “Yes, kanin.” He spoke only loud enough for me to hear. “There is a lot of beauty in darkness.”
🖤 “You are such a brute, Bjørn Larrsen.” She smacked his shoulder. “Well, you clearly know my name, do I get the honor of yours, sweetheart, since I’ll be waking up in your bed tomorrow?” “You’re a beast.” She laughed again. “I hope I can be later.”
🖤 “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“You haven’t given me reason not to yet.” He shrugged. “The moment you do . . . well, they don’t call me bear for nothing, sweetheart, so let’s not challenge me.”
🖤 “History is written by the winners to make themselves the heroes, not about the truth.”
🖤 “This is my mark on your skin. Mine.”
🖤 “I've taken on cannibals and murderers; I can certainly handle a pretty boy like you.”
🖤 “Under the colors of our feathers we're all just Ravens, right?”
🖤 “Breathe, kanin.”
🖤 And pretty much any part Bjørn was in.
September 24, 2026
Almost 200 years ago, a war between the Ravens and the Leatherwings caused their land to divide and separate into factions - Day, Dusk and Night. The land was cursed by blood and the Ravens were stripped of their wings and jobs as messengers to their god.
The White Raven is prophesied to be the savior of their dying land and the answer to reuniting the kingdoms that were split into 3- on her 19th birthday. Wrennlyn Stallard, the Day King’s only child - is bearing the responsibility of being born the White Raven.
On the night of her betrothal, Wrennlyn is kidnapped by one of the Night King’s hunters - Onyx and the hatred between Wrennlyn and her captor begins as he journeys to turn her over to the Night King.
I really enjoyed the world of this story - I believe it is a part of Norse mythology (from the little bit of googling I did when reading the book). I thought the idea of have the lands split into 3, where it is always daytime in one, dusk in another and nighttime in the last was a fun idea.
Wrennlyn was okay as a FMC, but she is young and a little impulsive and spoiled. Our MMC Onyx is the real star of the show. The author did a great job creating his character and his presence ruled the vibes of the story to me. I have to mention the 2 creatures in my review - Fluffy, an irritable huge black “ghost horse” with fangs and Munch - a cute little tree twig creature that rescued Wrennlyn from dire situations more than once.
Criticisms would be that some parts of the middle felt a little repetitive. I would have like to seen a little more depth from Wrennlyn.
Best parts include how well the author described the worlds and settings - I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. Onyx of course was the major highlight of the book. And…. The. Ending. Just. Wow.
The White Raven is prophesied to be the savior of their dying land and the answer to reuniting the kingdoms that were split into 3- on her 19th birthday. Wrennlyn Stallard, the Day King’s only child - is bearing the responsibility of being born the White Raven.
On the night of her betrothal, Wrennlyn is kidnapped by one of the Night King’s hunters - Onyx and the hatred between Wrennlyn and her captor begins as he journeys to turn her over to the Night King.
I really enjoyed the world of this story - I believe it is a part of Norse mythology (from the little bit of googling I did when reading the book). I thought the idea of have the lands split into 3, where it is always daytime in one, dusk in another and nighttime in the last was a fun idea.
Wrennlyn was okay as a FMC, but she is young and a little impulsive and spoiled. Our MMC Onyx is the real star of the show. The author did a great job creating his character and his presence ruled the vibes of the story to me. I have to mention the 2 creatures in my review - Fluffy, an irritable huge black “ghost horse” with fangs and Munch - a cute little tree twig creature that rescued Wrennlyn from dire situations more than once.
Criticisms would be that some parts of the middle felt a little repetitive. I would have like to seen a little more depth from Wrennlyn.
Best parts include how well the author described the worlds and settings - I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. Onyx of course was the major highlight of the book. And…. The. Ending. Just. Wow.
August 31, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
White Raven by Stacey Marie Brown 🐦⬛⚔️
Thank you to NetGalley, Stacey Marie Brown, and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book! 🤍
I think I may have found one of my top romantasy reads of the year! This story takes place in a Viking-inspired world, and Stacey Marie Brown has crafted such an incredible setting filled with political intrigue, complex characters, and world-building that had me completely invested. 🖤
This is a true enemies-to-lovers with a seriously slow burn… and I mean slow. The romance doesn’t really start progressing until almost the end of the book, but when it does… 👀🔥
One of the things I often find myself missing in romantasy is the political intrigue and deeper world-building, but that absolutely was not the case here! The world felt truly rich and layered, and I loved how much was happening beyond the romance.
And that ending?! I was STRESSED. 😭 The final chapters had me sitting there like… PARDON ME?! What is happening?! Needless to say, I’m very ready for book two next year because I NEED answers. 🥹
This book is DARK, and while I tend to enjoy darker books, definitely check the trigger warnings before picking it up if this isn’t something you’re used to. It contains themes including sexual assault, cannibalism, slavery, and other disturbing content that may be difficult for some readers.
If you’re looking for a dark romantasy with Viking vibes, brutal enemies-to-lovers, political intrigue, and a painfully slow burn, add this one to your list. ⚔️🔥
White Raven by Stacey Marie Brown 🐦⬛⚔️
Thank you to NetGalley, Stacey Marie Brown, and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book! 🤍
I think I may have found one of my top romantasy reads of the year! This story takes place in a Viking-inspired world, and Stacey Marie Brown has crafted such an incredible setting filled with political intrigue, complex characters, and world-building that had me completely invested. 🖤
This is a true enemies-to-lovers with a seriously slow burn… and I mean slow. The romance doesn’t really start progressing until almost the end of the book, but when it does… 👀🔥
One of the things I often find myself missing in romantasy is the political intrigue and deeper world-building, but that absolutely was not the case here! The world felt truly rich and layered, and I loved how much was happening beyond the romance.
And that ending?! I was STRESSED. 😭 The final chapters had me sitting there like… PARDON ME?! What is happening?! Needless to say, I’m very ready for book two next year because I NEED answers. 🥹
This book is DARK, and while I tend to enjoy darker books, definitely check the trigger warnings before picking it up if this isn’t something you’re used to. It contains themes including sexual assault, cannibalism, slavery, and other disturbing content that may be difficult for some readers.
If you’re looking for a dark romantasy with Viking vibes, brutal enemies-to-lovers, political intrigue, and a painfully slow burn, add this one to your list. ⚔️🔥
September 28, 2026
5 ⭐
Wooow, I literally had no expectations from this one but my mind was blown.
It's definitely a book for you if you like From Blood and Ash series, it also gave me a bit of Plated Prisoner series vibes, and because of the mindblowing ending it gave me some Heir of Illusion vibes. I would say it's a bit on the darker side maybe, but wow I devoured this book.
I did an immersive read on this one, and as a Norwegian I cannot say I loved the single narration. A lot of the reason was because it's Norse mythology, so there are a few Norwegian/Nordic words that are pronounced wrong, which I understand btw. But the worst part is the accent people like the MMC and his friends get when they talk! I'm guessing the narrator is trying for a Nordic English accent, it's just not very charming and just annoyed me through the whole book.
BUT, that did not ruin the book for me, and that's rare. I absolutely did not see that ending coming, and now I can't wait for book 2!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC of this audiobook via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
Wooow, I literally had no expectations from this one but my mind was blown.
It's definitely a book for you if you like From Blood and Ash series, it also gave me a bit of Plated Prisoner series vibes, and because of the mindblowing ending it gave me some Heir of Illusion vibes. I would say it's a bit on the darker side maybe, but wow I devoured this book.
I did an immersive read on this one, and as a Norwegian I cannot say I loved the single narration. A lot of the reason was because it's Norse mythology, so there are a few Norwegian/Nordic words that are pronounced wrong, which I understand btw. But the worst part is the accent people like the MMC and his friends get when they talk! I'm guessing the narrator is trying for a Nordic English accent, it's just not very charming and just annoyed me through the whole book.
BUT, that did not ruin the book for me, and that's rare. I absolutely did not see that ending coming, and now I can't wait for book 2!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC of this audiobook via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
September 13, 2026
I’m a pretty big SMB fan, but this was not it.
It definitely has that Stacey Marie Brown formula: harsh, gritty dialogue, true enemies-to-lovers vibes, and fun little side-character creatures. But this was a much slower burn than I prefer, and it felt repetitive, both in the plot and the prose. I cannot count the number of times Wren was either about to vomit or had bile rising up her esophagus. And there were points where I’d rather have had my eyelids sewn shut than read “Huginn-Muninn” one more time. Was it on every page? I don’t know, but it certainly felt like it.
That said, I read it pretty quickly, which means I was still actively engaged. Stacey Marie Brown has a weird ability to keep me reading even when I’m not completely enjoying the book, and apparently that remains undefeated.
The physical book is absolutely stunning, and I was genuinely excited to finally own one of her books now that she’s traditionally published and her work is making its way into Canadian bookstores.
And that cliffhanger. Insane, as per usual. It’ll probably be enough to drag me back for book two. Hopefully it has a little more bite than this one.
It definitely has that Stacey Marie Brown formula: harsh, gritty dialogue, true enemies-to-lovers vibes, and fun little side-character creatures. But this was a much slower burn than I prefer, and it felt repetitive, both in the plot and the prose. I cannot count the number of times Wren was either about to vomit or had bile rising up her esophagus. And there were points where I’d rather have had my eyelids sewn shut than read “Huginn-Muninn” one more time. Was it on every page? I don’t know, but it certainly felt like it.
That said, I read it pretty quickly, which means I was still actively engaged. Stacey Marie Brown has a weird ability to keep me reading even when I’m not completely enjoying the book, and apparently that remains undefeated.
The physical book is absolutely stunning, and I was genuinely excited to finally own one of her books now that she’s traditionally published and her work is making its way into Canadian bookstores.
And that cliffhanger. Insane, as per usual. It’ll probably be enough to drag me back for book two. Hopefully it has a little more bite than this one.
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