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The Ravenwood Saga #3
Cry of the Raven
Wife. Warrior. Lady of two worlds.
As war looms, will her power be enough to save the ones she loves?
Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker—a power greater than any in history. She embraces her new role as Nightwatcher, able to intercede for her people in the dream world, but the dark shadow of war draws even closer.
Working together, the Great Houses come up with a plan to secure the borders from the approaching Dominia Empire. But dissension, conflict, and suspicion threaten to destroy their tenuous treaty, and as the empire burns a path across their lands, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.
The only one who can keep the Great Houses unified and restore her husband's power is Selene. But it will require that she venture deep into the dream world to confront the enemies of her past who will do anything to stop her power. Will it be enough, or will both worlds fall under the empire's might?
As war looms, will her power be enough to save the ones she loves?
Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker—a power greater than any in history. She embraces her new role as Nightwatcher, able to intercede for her people in the dream world, but the dark shadow of war draws even closer.
Working together, the Great Houses come up with a plan to secure the borders from the approaching Dominia Empire. But dissension, conflict, and suspicion threaten to destroy their tenuous treaty, and as the empire burns a path across their lands, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.
The only one who can keep the Great Houses unified and restore her husband's power is Selene. But it will require that she venture deep into the dream world to confront the enemies of her past who will do anything to stop her power. Will it be enough, or will both worlds fall under the empire's might?
380 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2020
97 people are currently reading
2142 people want to read
About the author
Morgan L. Busse
21 books1,242 followersMorgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series and the award-winning steampunk series, The Soul Chronicles. Her debut novel, Daughter of Light, was a Christy and Carol Award finalist. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
June 2, 2020
I'M SO DEAD. THAT MAGNIFICENT ENDING. I'M SO DEAD.
10 billion stars.
So. It took me more than a month to recover. We're all very surprised.
Thinking about writing this review has been driving me crazy. Words aren't enough this time. How could they be? The pressure I've put on myself to write the best review ever (because Morgan L. Busse is amazing and deserves it) has made me insane.
Don't mind my endless fangirling in this *coughs* "professional" review.
This book encouraged me. It reached beyond my mind and touched my heart. My soul. Needless to say, I cried, and laughed, and FELT THINGS FAR BEYOND WHAT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE for pretend humans.
(You honestly probably don't want to know this so skip it and keep reading ..... but I went outside after I finished this book. I screamed at the sky and the trees and the air. And then I wept. Because Damien and Selene weren't real and the adventure I shared with them was over.)
The gentle and yet intense weaving of this story puts me in awe. Words. They are magical creatures in the hands of Morgan L. Busse. They dance and sing from their hearts for her.
ALSO OH MY LANTA. THE ADORABLE LEVEL OF THIS BOOK IS 😍😍😍. I CAN'T EVEN. CAN WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE CUTE KISSING SCENE??? THANK YOU. 💖
I miss them all so much already. 😭
Setting: gLoRiOuS. *sings gayly* The magical, wonderful, fantastical world of Morgan L. Busse's imagination. Where all seven Great Houses have been given a gift. A gift that reflects the Light.
Plot: The pacing was amazing. Not too slow .... normally quite action packed. I guess they're were some areas some people might consider boring. Battle planing and working out strategies. But I lOvEd it. 💞
Description: Can I just say that I was impressed? Okay. I'm impressed. I'm very impressed. The tiniest details are important and brought to light. I love it. OMW. Everything is flushed out perfectly, all blending together. No scene was idle.
Romance: RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. THEY ARE ONE OF MY TOP OTP's. 😍 Selene + Damien for lifeeeeeeee. (someone help me.) It was clean and absolutely a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e. I can't stress that enough. Go read the whole trilogy. It portrayed what marriage is suppose to look like. Messy yet so focused on love. They hurt one another (with their words), they support one another, they get back up again and move on. 💖
Content: SO. CLEAN. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It is YA. It's a Christian Allegorical Fantasy. There are some darker moments. Depression and loneliness. All the things we face in life. Mild kissing. Husband and Wife laying in bed with one another. Suggestive conversations. It's all handled delicately.
Message: Learning to let go and let God. 😭😍💖 "Put all things in the hands of the Light" This touched my heart. I got goose bumps So Many Times. 💕
Characters: AHhHahaahHahahahAhahhhhhHhHhhHh. Theywereallsoamazingandican'teverstopscreamingaboutthem. THEY WERE DEEP. COMPASSIONATE. FORGIVING. SINFUL. PEOPLE. They made mistakes. They fell down. They got back up again. Even though it hurt. Even though it felt impossible. They are an inspiration. They are all so encouraging. The things they say. The feelings they deal with. The victories they have. It teaches us we can be victorious too. 😭😭😍😍
Overall: I have yet to recover. I don't think I ever can. The impact this book has had on my life .... 💕 Thank you, Morgan L. Busse. Never stop writing.
AND YOU. Yes, you. The one I'm looking at. The one who read through this whole mess of words. GO BUY A COPY AND READ IT ASAP IF YOU ALREADY HAVEN'T. MEND YOUR MISTAKE.
**FTC DISCLOSURE** I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I request that you don't take them personally. Thanks! :)
10 billion stars.
So. It took me more than a month to recover. We're all very surprised.
Thinking about writing this review has been driving me crazy. Words aren't enough this time. How could they be? The pressure I've put on myself to write the best review ever (because Morgan L. Busse is amazing and deserves it) has made me insane.
Don't mind my endless fangirling in this *coughs* "professional" review.
This book encouraged me. It reached beyond my mind and touched my heart. My soul. Needless to say, I cried, and laughed, and FELT THINGS FAR BEYOND WHAT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE for pretend humans.
(You honestly probably don't want to know this so skip it and keep reading ..... but I went outside after I finished this book. I screamed at the sky and the trees and the air. And then I wept. Because Damien and Selene weren't real and the adventure I shared with them was over.)
The gentle and yet intense weaving of this story puts me in awe. Words. They are magical creatures in the hands of Morgan L. Busse. They dance and sing from their hearts for her.
ALSO OH MY LANTA. THE ADORABLE LEVEL OF THIS BOOK IS 😍😍😍. I CAN'T EVEN. CAN WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE CUTE KISSING SCENE??? THANK YOU. 💖
I miss them all so much already. 😭
Setting: gLoRiOuS. *sings gayly* The magical, wonderful, fantastical world of Morgan L. Busse's imagination. Where all seven Great Houses have been given a gift. A gift that reflects the Light.
Plot: The pacing was amazing. Not too slow .... normally quite action packed. I guess they're were some areas some people might consider boring. Battle planing and working out strategies. But I lOvEd it. 💞
Description: Can I just say that I was impressed? Okay. I'm impressed. I'm very impressed. The tiniest details are important and brought to light. I love it. OMW. Everything is flushed out perfectly, all blending together. No scene was idle.
Romance: RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. THEY ARE ONE OF MY TOP OTP's. 😍 Selene + Damien for lifeeeeeeee. (someone help me.) It was clean and absolutely a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e. I can't stress that enough. Go read the whole trilogy. It portrayed what marriage is suppose to look like. Messy yet so focused on love. They hurt one another (with their words), they support one another, they get back up again and move on. 💖
Content: SO. CLEAN. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It is YA. It's a Christian Allegorical Fantasy. There are some darker moments. Depression and loneliness. All the things we face in life. Mild kissing. Husband and Wife laying in bed with one another. Suggestive conversations. It's all handled delicately.
Message: Learning to let go and let God. 😭😍💖 "Put all things in the hands of the Light" This touched my heart. I got goose bumps So Many Times. 💕
Characters: AHhHahaahHahahahAhahhhhhHhHhhHh. Theywereallsoamazingandican'teverstopscreamingaboutthem. THEY WERE DEEP. COMPASSIONATE. FORGIVING. SINFUL. PEOPLE. They made mistakes. They fell down. They got back up again. Even though it hurt. Even though it felt impossible. They are an inspiration. They are all so encouraging. The things they say. The feelings they deal with. The victories they have. It teaches us we can be victorious too. 😭😭😍😍
Overall: I have yet to recover. I don't think I ever can. The impact this book has had on my life .... 💕 Thank you, Morgan L. Busse. Never stop writing.
AND YOU. Yes, you. The one I'm looking at. The one who read through this whole mess of words. GO BUY A COPY AND READ IT ASAP IF YOU ALREADY HAVEN'T. MEND YOUR MISTAKE.
**FTC DISCLOSURE** I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I request that you don't take them personally. Thanks! :)
February 17, 2020
THERE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH WORDS TO SCREAM ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVE MY OTP.
Every now and then, you meet a couple in fiction that you just LOVE. You just...you're addicted to reading about them. You grin with their successes. You cry when they fail. One hug is enough to tide you over for 100 pages. It's just...ACK I LOVE SELENE AND DAMIEN SO VERY VERY MUCH.
And there wasn't enough of them!!!!! I needed every single scene to be a Selene and Damien one. But, alas, we cannot have everything in this life. So instead we got some of my favorite side characters in this series. All the lords and ladies are amazing and I love them.
I think the highest compliment that I can give any series would be: I'd happily read ten more books about the adventures of these characters.
4 stars. My heart is full.
Every now and then, you meet a couple in fiction that you just LOVE. You just...you're addicted to reading about them. You grin with their successes. You cry when they fail. One hug is enough to tide you over for 100 pages. It's just...ACK I LOVE SELENE AND DAMIEN SO VERY VERY MUCH.
And there wasn't enough of them!!!!! I needed every single scene to be a Selene and Damien one. But, alas, we cannot have everything in this life. So instead we got some of my favorite side characters in this series. All the lords and ladies are amazing and I love them.
I think the highest compliment that I can give any series would be: I'd happily read ten more books about the adventures of these characters.
4 stars. My heart is full.
February 19, 2020
Primary thoughts after finishing:
1. Selene and Damien are a true power couple.
2. Caiaphas is a champ.
3. I want more.
This series caught my attention fast from the moment it began, and I’ve eagerly awaited each poignant installment. The trilogy is rich with powerful messages, and this book too is filled with empathetic themes. Mostly, I would say it’s about trust. People learning or choosing to trust each other despite previous damage. The unsteady alliance of the seven houses as they face off a much greater enemy is a main focus after all.
But most of all, it’s about trusting God. Not only with your life, but the lives of the people you love. And not just their lives, but their deaths too. As you can imagine, this makes for some heart-wrenching and difficult moments, and I wish we could all reach this level of faith sooner for our own peace.
That being said, while most of the death in the book was meaningful, there was one side character who I felt would have been much better left alive.
The climax was awesome! I loved seeing more of the different cultures, especially the Healer kingdom! And while the ending was wonderfully satisfying, it also left (as all good, thriving stories do) many incredible stories ahead in the future, and I only hope one day they get explored.
1. Selene and Damien are a true power couple.
2. Caiaphas is a champ.
3. I want more.
This series caught my attention fast from the moment it began, and I’ve eagerly awaited each poignant installment. The trilogy is rich with powerful messages, and this book too is filled with empathetic themes. Mostly, I would say it’s about trust. People learning or choosing to trust each other despite previous damage. The unsteady alliance of the seven houses as they face off a much greater enemy is a main focus after all.
But most of all, it’s about trusting God. Not only with your life, but the lives of the people you love. And not just their lives, but their deaths too. As you can imagine, this makes for some heart-wrenching and difficult moments, and I wish we could all reach this level of faith sooner for our own peace.
That being said, while most of the death in the book was meaningful, there was one side character who I felt would have been much better left alive.
The climax was awesome! I loved seeing more of the different cultures, especially the Healer kingdom! And while the ending was wonderfully satisfying, it also left (as all good, thriving stories do) many incredible stories ahead in the future, and I only hope one day they get explored.
November 26, 2023
~2020 review~
This was amazingness 😍🥰😆😭💕
~~~~~~~~~
~2023 review~
This series was just as amazing as the first time I read it! I remembered this book the least out of the 3, so I got surprised by a few things. Sadly, Damien and Selene are separated for most of the book, but it was still amazing ❤️
This was amazingness 😍🥰😆😭💕
~~~~~~~~~
~2023 review~
This series was just as amazing as the first time I read it! I remembered this book the least out of the 3, so I got surprised by a few things. Sadly, Damien and Selene are separated for most of the book, but it was still amazing ❤️
June 12, 2023
About this book:
“Wife. Warrior. Lady of Two Worlds.
As War Looms, Will Her Power Be Enough to Save the Ones She Loves?
Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker--a power greater than any in history. She embraces her new role as Nightwatcher, able to intercede for her people in the dream world, but the dark shadow of war draws ever closer.
Working together, the Great Houses come up with a plan to secure the borders from the approaching Dominia Empire. But dissension, conflict, and suspicion threaten to destroy their tenuous treaty, and as the empire burns a path across their lands, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.”
Series: Book #3 in “The Ravenwood Saga”. Review of Book #1 Here! and #2 Here!
Spiritual Content- Prayers; Talks about the Light (God figure), praying to him, trusting him, & following him; 'H's are not capital when referring to the Light; Witnessing to others about the Light; Many mentions of the Light, having faith, & giving loved one over to him; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking the Light; Mentions of those with gifts (Damien & Selene) offering their gift up to the Light (similar to worship) & praying for their people; Mentions of monks, their chanting, an abbey, priests, & a temple; A few mentions of a festival about the Light; A few mentions of people wishing the Light to be with others on their journeys; A mention of someone following “some of the tenets of the Light”; A mention of seraph from ancient stories that made supplications to the Light;
*Note: Each of the seven Great Houses have a special gift (some control water, others fire or the earth, and Selene’s house is able to get into others’ dreams) and some believe in gods of some form, the “old god/god of old ways” (called “the Light”), and others believe in “the Dark Lady”; The gifts each house has are from the Light to protect their people; The House Ravenwood’s patroness is the Dark Lady and it is their belief in her that gives her power (Lady Ragna is spending a lot of time with her so her powers can grow); Fighting the Dark Lady in the dreamscape (Light vs Darkness, up to semi-detailed); Selene slips into others’ dreams, talking on the form of a raven and can change back into her human form; The dreamwalker gift of House Ravenwood can be used to encourage people or manipulate them; Mentions of souls & some being dark and some being light; Mentions of the Dark Lady, Lady Ragna being close to her, & the dark priest receiving messages and prophecies from her; A couple mentions of seeing those who have passed through the veil & seeing them again; A mention of a place being Hell; A mention of a hellish sound.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘for Light’s sake’, a ‘Lands’, three forms of ‘Light/Dear Light’ (used as the beginning of a sentence), and four ‘dart’an’s; A man is called the “back-end-of-a-wyvern”; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling & sarcasm; Seeing deaths (including loved ones, up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Seeing killing, Being attacked, Being burned, Pain, Injuries, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (up to semi-detailed); Damien struggles with using his gift to harm or kill others (even if they are the enemy, up to semi-detailed); Damien is grieving his parents and brother & Selene grieves her sister; All about many mentions of wars, fighting, a razing of an empire, & murders; Mentions of deaths, murders, killing, assassins/assassinations, & drownings (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of bodies, blood, how they died, burning the bodies, & the smell (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fires (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of attacks, fighting, injuries, pain, passing out, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of threats; Mentions of nightmares & people being put into a deep sleep (by the Dark Lady); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of deaths from a plague & grief/grieving (for parents, a father, a brother, a sister, & a mentor); Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of a woman’s mind being shattered and her becoming “like a living corpse” as she can’t do anything (Happened in Book #1; *Spoiler* ); A few mentions of alcohol, drinking, & feeling drunk; A few mentions of wyverns being injured (up to semi-detailed); A couple mentions of slaves/slavery; A mention of a suicide mission; A mention of someone losing a hand in a battle (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of a young girl being slapped.
Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a hand kiss, three cheek kisses, a neck kiss, three not-detailed kisses, three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and four semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Cuddling, Warmth, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Remembering touches & embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Selene & Damien share a bed (multiple times, but there is also a mention of them putting on their clothes the next morning; also a couple mentions of them missing the other being next to them in bed); A man covets Selene and her power; A man touches Selene’s cheek & she slaps him away; Mentions of an affair & an illegitimate child from it (the man makes also offers for the woman to stay the night with him); Mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of blushes & winks; Love, being in love, & the emotions.
-Selene Maris, around age 19
-Damien Maris, around age 24
P.O.V. switches between them, & Lady Ragna (x3), Raoul (x2), Caiaphas (x1)
384 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Star
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
I can see why this is a popular series, as the plot is very unique and interesting. I think the bottom line, though, for me, is that I’m not the right reader and not a fan of certain parts that I mentioned in my review of the second book. I do have to say, this trilogy has been an adventure and I’ve enjoyed seeing what would happen next. Had there not been a fade-to-black scene in the second book, I would have kept this series in my bookshelves. (Side note: If you loved the whole “River of Time” series by Lisa T. Bergren, you would most likely be completely okay with how it’s handled in this book.)
I like Selene a lot more in this book. She’s more confident and well-spoken. I actually wasn’t a fan of seeing Lady Ragna having doubts…I kind of just wanted her to always be evil? That’s probably terrible to say, but her doubting her goals makes her feel wishy-washy, which she was not that way at all in the prior books. However, I was very satisfied by the ending.
This fantasy trilogy has been a journey and I’m glad that I finally read it and can mark it off of my TBR. It definitely had its good points and not-so-good points in my eyes, but overall, I can see why so many love it. Older girl who are big fantasy fans would probably enjoy this series the most.
See y’all on Friday with a new review!
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Wife. Warrior. Lady of Two Worlds.
As War Looms, Will Her Power Be Enough to Save the Ones She Loves?
Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker--a power greater than any in history. She embraces her new role as Nightwatcher, able to intercede for her people in the dream world, but the dark shadow of war draws ever closer.
Working together, the Great Houses come up with a plan to secure the borders from the approaching Dominia Empire. But dissension, conflict, and suspicion threaten to destroy their tenuous treaty, and as the empire burns a path across their lands, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.”
Series: Book #3 in “The Ravenwood Saga”. Review of Book #1 Here! and #2 Here!
Spiritual Content- Prayers; Talks about the Light (God figure), praying to him, trusting him, & following him; 'H's are not capital when referring to the Light; Witnessing to others about the Light; Many mentions of the Light, having faith, & giving loved one over to him; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking the Light; Mentions of those with gifts (Damien & Selene) offering their gift up to the Light (similar to worship) & praying for their people; Mentions of monks, their chanting, an abbey, priests, & a temple; A few mentions of a festival about the Light; A few mentions of people wishing the Light to be with others on their journeys; A mention of someone following “some of the tenets of the Light”; A mention of seraph from ancient stories that made supplications to the Light;
*Note: Each of the seven Great Houses have a special gift (some control water, others fire or the earth, and Selene’s house is able to get into others’ dreams) and some believe in gods of some form, the “old god/god of old ways” (called “the Light”), and others believe in “the Dark Lady”; The gifts each house has are from the Light to protect their people; The House Ravenwood’s patroness is the Dark Lady and it is their belief in her that gives her power (Lady Ragna is spending a lot of time with her so her powers can grow); Fighting the Dark Lady in the dreamscape (Light vs Darkness, up to semi-detailed); Selene slips into others’ dreams, talking on the form of a raven and can change back into her human form; The dreamwalker gift of House Ravenwood can be used to encourage people or manipulate them; Mentions of souls & some being dark and some being light; Mentions of the Dark Lady, Lady Ragna being close to her, & the dark priest receiving messages and prophecies from her; A couple mentions of seeing those who have passed through the veil & seeing them again; A mention of a place being Hell; A mention of a hellish sound.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘for Light’s sake’, a ‘Lands’, three forms of ‘Light/Dear Light’ (used as the beginning of a sentence), and four ‘dart’an’s; A man is called the “back-end-of-a-wyvern”; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling & sarcasm; Seeing deaths (including loved ones, up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Seeing killing, Being attacked, Being burned, Pain, Injuries, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (up to semi-detailed); Damien struggles with using his gift to harm or kill others (even if they are the enemy, up to semi-detailed); Damien is grieving his parents and brother & Selene grieves her sister; All about many mentions of wars, fighting, a razing of an empire, & murders; Mentions of deaths, murders, killing, assassins/assassinations, & drownings (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of bodies, blood, how they died, burning the bodies, & the smell (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fires (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of attacks, fighting, injuries, pain, passing out, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of threats; Mentions of nightmares & people being put into a deep sleep (by the Dark Lady); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of deaths from a plague & grief/grieving (for parents, a father, a brother, a sister, & a mentor); Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of a woman’s mind being shattered and her becoming “like a living corpse” as she can’t do anything (Happened in Book #1; *Spoiler* ); A few mentions of alcohol, drinking, & feeling drunk; A few mentions of wyverns being injured (up to semi-detailed); A couple mentions of slaves/slavery; A mention of a suicide mission; A mention of someone losing a hand in a battle (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of a young girl being slapped.
Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a hand kiss, three cheek kisses, a neck kiss, three not-detailed kisses, three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and four semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Cuddling, Warmth, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Remembering touches & embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Selene & Damien share a bed (multiple times, but there is also a mention of them putting on their clothes the next morning; also a couple mentions of them missing the other being next to them in bed); A man covets Selene and her power; A man touches Selene’s cheek & she slaps him away; Mentions of an affair & an illegitimate child from it (the man makes also offers for the woman to stay the night with him); Mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of blushes & winks; Love, being in love, & the emotions.
-Selene Maris, around age 19
-Damien Maris, around age 24
P.O.V. switches between them, & Lady Ragna (x3), Raoul (x2), Caiaphas (x1)
384 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Star
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
I can see why this is a popular series, as the plot is very unique and interesting. I think the bottom line, though, for me, is that I’m not the right reader and not a fan of certain parts that I mentioned in my review of the second book. I do have to say, this trilogy has been an adventure and I’ve enjoyed seeing what would happen next. Had there not been a fade-to-black scene in the second book, I would have kept this series in my bookshelves. (Side note: If you loved the whole “River of Time” series by Lisa T. Bergren, you would most likely be completely okay with how it’s handled in this book.)
I like Selene a lot more in this book. She’s more confident and well-spoken. I actually wasn’t a fan of seeing Lady Ragna having doubts…I kind of just wanted her to always be evil? That’s probably terrible to say, but her doubting her goals makes her feel wishy-washy, which she was not that way at all in the prior books. However, I was very satisfied by the ending.
This fantasy trilogy has been a journey and I’m glad that I finally read it and can mark it off of my TBR. It definitely had its good points and not-so-good points in my eyes, but overall, I can see why so many love it. Older girl who are big fantasy fans would probably enjoy this series the most.
See y’all on Friday with a new review!
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
January 27, 2024
4.5⭐️
So good! I might get around to a proper review, but I have a lot of things going on right now, so it is unlikely. Just know that this trilogy is SO worth your time, even if the first book takes a while to “grab” you. This trilogy is intriguing, has so much depth, and contains one of my favorite fictional couples ever.💕
So good! I might get around to a proper review, but I have a lot of things going on right now, so it is unlikely. Just know that this trilogy is SO worth your time, even if the first book takes a while to “grab” you. This trilogy is intriguing, has so much depth, and contains one of my favorite fictional couples ever.💕
July 19, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/9R5mZ51P-Vc
This book made me break my own rule.
I confess that a quarter of a way in I HAD to flip to the end to make sure it would have certain character(s) alive and well.
Not only that, but even with knowing a tiny piece of the ending, I caught myself praying everyone would make it.
…
*Praying.*
If that does not say how intense and engaging this story was, then neither what I have to share about the book will either. LOL!
It's been a very long time since I have done either, and this book continued to surprise me in so many ways.
I LOVED the story as a whole. It was everything I wanted in an epic trilogy. (Like were talking I had internal music playing with scenes and breaking out in goosebumps with scenes. #sogood) Fighting, overcoming, growing, and a few other spoiler things that I refuse to mention becaue one must read it to enjoy it.
However, on a deeper level, Selene's words and Damien's struggle pierced me where I found myself having to put the book down and process how much I needed it. No matter how hard sometimes life might be, Jesus is ALWAYS with us. Even in the darkness, His Light shines and burns in our hearts.
And letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. <3
Damien has always been my favorite because he is beyond relatable and it was no exception in Cry of the Raven, but Selene has also become a favorite too. I loved this incredible couple and how they encouraged and loved one another. It was beautiful and fiction needs more of this.
There is soooo much more I could say about this story, but I will say that though I really struggled liking Selene in book one, this series will be a series I hold close. I have been deeply encouraged by it and for the first time, I put a sticky note in a book because it was so profound.
In summary, Cry of the Raven is so so so good!
Highly recommend to Christian fantasy readers who love a blend of action and romance and epicness!
This book made me break my own rule.
I confess that a quarter of a way in I HAD to flip to the end to make sure it would have certain character(s) alive and well.
Not only that, but even with knowing a tiny piece of the ending, I caught myself praying everyone would make it.
…
*Praying.*
If that does not say how intense and engaging this story was, then neither what I have to share about the book will either. LOL!
It's been a very long time since I have done either, and this book continued to surprise me in so many ways.
I LOVED the story as a whole. It was everything I wanted in an epic trilogy. (Like were talking I had internal music playing with scenes and breaking out in goosebumps with scenes. #sogood) Fighting, overcoming, growing, and a few other spoiler things that I refuse to mention becaue one must read it to enjoy it.
However, on a deeper level, Selene's words and Damien's struggle pierced me where I found myself having to put the book down and process how much I needed it. No matter how hard sometimes life might be, Jesus is ALWAYS with us. Even in the darkness, His Light shines and burns in our hearts.
And letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. <3
Damien has always been my favorite because he is beyond relatable and it was no exception in Cry of the Raven, but Selene has also become a favorite too. I loved this incredible couple and how they encouraged and loved one another. It was beautiful and fiction needs more of this.
There is soooo much more I could say about this story, but I will say that though I really struggled liking Selene in book one, this series will be a series I hold close. I have been deeply encouraged by it and for the first time, I put a sticky note in a book because it was so profound.
In summary, Cry of the Raven is so so so good!
Highly recommend to Christian fantasy readers who love a blend of action and romance and epicness!
June 28, 2024
Such a perfect ending to an AMAZING series. The redemption arc in this story is priceless.
September 6, 2023
Okay, after years of wondering if I should read this series, I finally did, and I'm so glad I did! This was so cool! It's not a new favorite series because this author and I seem to disagree on what's a good ending...lol...but it is a series I'd like to have on my shelves and one I would definitely read again!
Characters:
The character growth that continues in this book is so good! I loved the continued growth of Silene and how she grew in her faith through the story. It was beautiful!
Daemon was such a sweetie, and his arch in this book was touching! As always, I loved him. I cried for his *ahem* something that happened.
There are so many side characters, but for the most part, I didn't get confused, and I loved all of them in one way or another.
Themes:
Leaving things in the hands of the Lord, letting go of those we love and letting God take care of them, letting others help us, and knowing that we cannot do things on our own but through God's power!
All really super beautiful themes!
Romance:
Some kisses between married characters, but really just a nice touch.
Language:
N/A
Magic:
Again, I don't feel that it's magic because the Light has given the characters the gifts they have.
Overall:
This was a great story and a nice ending to the series. I would have liked a touch more closure in one department because I need to know, but it's a spoiler, so I can't say *sighs*.
But for the most part, I am very happy with this book and how it ended. It's got a lot more going on than the previous two books, and I enjoyed that aspect of it a lot!!!
Recommend for ages 15+
Characters:
The character growth that continues in this book is so good! I loved the continued growth of Silene and how she grew in her faith through the story. It was beautiful!
Daemon was such a sweetie, and his arch in this book was touching! As always, I loved him. I cried for his *ahem* something that happened.
There are so many side characters, but for the most part, I didn't get confused, and I loved all of them in one way or another.
Themes:
Leaving things in the hands of the Lord, letting go of those we love and letting God take care of them, letting others help us, and knowing that we cannot do things on our own but through God's power!
All really super beautiful themes!
Romance:
Some kisses between married characters, but really just a nice touch.
Language:
N/A
Magic:
Again, I don't feel that it's magic because the Light has given the characters the gifts they have.
Overall:
This was a great story and a nice ending to the series. I would have liked a touch more closure in one department because I need to know, but it's a spoiler, so I can't say *sighs*.
But for the most part, I am very happy with this book and how it ended. It's got a lot more going on than the previous two books, and I enjoyed that aspect of it a lot!!!
Recommend for ages 15+
August 27, 2021
5 STARS!!
What a Fabulous Ending to a Beautiful Series!!
Busse had me at book 1 ... and 2 but then 3. Wow. Its like each book got deeper and deeper into my soul. Asking the hard questions and making me think. Each book got better and better.
Selene and Damien both grew so much. Especially Selene! In the first two she had to count on Damien for a lot because she was learning about the light and didnt know much but their growth was so amazing and shows how a healthy marriage should operate and I just adored that. Like can we please just get more wholesome books like these?
Beautiful Right... BRB going Cry happy tears.
Anyway... The war between light and dark was upon them and Damien and Selene had to go in different directions for a little while. They had their own battles to face and things to settle. I loved that even apart they became a powerful weapon to fight in the battle against the darkness. There were so many elements that felt real - even though this was a medieval world. The way they treated people around them and wow if we could get some people in power like these two what a beautiful world we would live in.
This next part may or may not be a spoiler so proceed with caution :P
My favorite part of this entire series was the ending and how instead of killing a certain character, (dont wanna spoil it) - they let them live and brought them over to the light and it was just so different than most books. Usually (this particular character) would have been killed or put in prison because of all of the terrible things they had done. But instead they were offered redemption and a chance to "see" something different. I just LOVED that!
Maybe its your cup of tea- and maybe not, I recommend it but you decide! Go read it...
What a Fabulous Ending to a Beautiful Series!!
Busse had me at book 1 ... and 2 but then 3. Wow. Its like each book got deeper and deeper into my soul. Asking the hard questions and making me think. Each book got better and better.
Selene and Damien both grew so much. Especially Selene! In the first two she had to count on Damien for a lot because she was learning about the light and didnt know much but their growth was so amazing and shows how a healthy marriage should operate and I just adored that. Like can we please just get more wholesome books like these?
Beautiful Right... BRB going Cry happy tears.
Anyway... The war between light and dark was upon them and Damien and Selene had to go in different directions for a little while. They had their own battles to face and things to settle. I loved that even apart they became a powerful weapon to fight in the battle against the darkness. There were so many elements that felt real - even though this was a medieval world. The way they treated people around them and wow if we could get some people in power like these two what a beautiful world we would live in.
This next part may or may not be a spoiler so proceed with caution :P
My favorite part of this entire series was the ending and how instead of killing a certain character, (dont wanna spoil it) - they let them live and brought them over to the light and it was just so different than most books. Usually (this particular character) would have been killed or put in prison because of all of the terrible things they had done. But instead they were offered redemption and a chance to "see" something different. I just LOVED that!
Maybe its your cup of tea- and maybe not, I recommend it but you decide! Go read it...
February 7, 2020
(Review--and pictures!--originally posted here: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/... )
Aaaahh! This book was so amazing! A new favorite, and an epic, suspenseful conclusion to the Ravenwood Saga! I loved it so, so much! I’ll try to keep this review spoiler free. ;)
I’ve loved each book in this trilogy, and each one has gotten even better than the last—difficult to imagine, since they’ve all been top favorites. CRY OF THE RAVEN was my most-anticipated read of the year, and wraps up the series, and totally delivers! IT. WAS. INCREDIBLE.
New twists and secrets come to light and there’s SO MUCH EPICNESS and it’s all on such a grand scale. I was blown away. The inspiring journey of these beloved characters, in this amazing world, with so many things that I love and have been excited to see since I first started the series, has just been so thrilling to experience! It makes me so happy! I’m sitting here grinning, trying to come up with words to do justice to this delightful book.
I absolutely love the characters, and how real their stories are, with their struggles, relationships, and growth. It’s been amazing following Selene through these books and seeing where she is now (I love her character so much, and even cosplayed as her at a writers conference last year!). Damien is my favorite, and he has quite a story in this one too! He is just the best. I love them together as well and seeing how their relationship plays out! All the love for these two! Reading their adventures and seeing the end has been so rewarding and I will love them forever. ^_^
So many of the side characters are favorites of mine too—and everyone is so real that they practically step off the page! I especially liked to see more of Caiaphas, Lord Leo and his brother, Lady Bryren and Reidin (who are EPIC!), and other characters like Taegis, Karl, and wise Renlar, who is new but awesome. Meeting new characters and delving deeper into ones we had met previously and seeing how they change was one of my favorite things!
I also love the worldbuilding! Aaahh! Definitely one of my favorite fantasy worlds. The powers/gifts, and all the different cultures and places we get to visit. I was so excited to get to see more of this world! *beaming* I stepped right through the page into this fascinating place—so happy to return one last time, and sad when it was over. I’m going to miss these books! *hugs them forever* But it was such an epic and satisfying conclusion that it’s also hard to be anything other than elated. :D
I love the writing, too—how it’s not sparse by any means, but at the same time there’s nothing “extra” and it shows just exactly the right things, everything important that we need to know, drawing you right into the action and emotion. It felt so clean, well-written, and masterfully crafted together, with inspiring words in there as well. The spiritual journeys, redemption, and healing, and parts about the Light, were very well done.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to fangirl about more of my absolute favorite things, besides the characters and world, because there is SO much to love about this book. Apologies for any incoherency, but aaaahhhh! CRY OF THE RAVEN had so many amazing things that I adored!
+ Firstly, seeing more of the wyverns! (Yesss! I was totally hoping for that!)
+ I also absolutely loved how the dreamwalking was an even bigger part of this one and how it fit into the plot! (No spoilers, but aaahh!)
+ In the previous books, we’ve seen Selene’s dreamwalking gift and Damien’s water-manipulation gift, but only briefly touched on the other gifts in this world, so I was SO EXCITED to finally learn more about and get to see some of other Great Houses’ gifts in action a bit! (*muffled shrieking*)
+ ALSO! A couple of things about the ending were my absolute favorite! No spoilers, but you’ll know when you read the end. ;) (And the scene with the flower!! My heart! Aaahh! I don’t even know why I loved it so much but I ADORED THAT PART and it makes me smile and tear up. ^_^)
MARK OF THE RAVEN and FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN have been building up to this one and it’s everything I ever wanted! Nearly everything that I hoped to see was brought to light, and so many things that were good surprises, too! It was the perfect ending to this trilogy which I absolutely adore. I wholeheartedly recommend this series! If you are a fantasy fan, you need it in your life!
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are my own.)
Aaaahh! This book was so amazing! A new favorite, and an epic, suspenseful conclusion to the Ravenwood Saga! I loved it so, so much! I’ll try to keep this review spoiler free. ;)
I’ve loved each book in this trilogy, and each one has gotten even better than the last—difficult to imagine, since they’ve all been top favorites. CRY OF THE RAVEN was my most-anticipated read of the year, and wraps up the series, and totally delivers! IT. WAS. INCREDIBLE.
New twists and secrets come to light and there’s SO MUCH EPICNESS and it’s all on such a grand scale. I was blown away. The inspiring journey of these beloved characters, in this amazing world, with so many things that I love and have been excited to see since I first started the series, has just been so thrilling to experience! It makes me so happy! I’m sitting here grinning, trying to come up with words to do justice to this delightful book.
I absolutely love the characters, and how real their stories are, with their struggles, relationships, and growth. It’s been amazing following Selene through these books and seeing where she is now (I love her character so much, and even cosplayed as her at a writers conference last year!). Damien is my favorite, and he has quite a story in this one too! He is just the best. I love them together as well and seeing how their relationship plays out! All the love for these two! Reading their adventures and seeing the end has been so rewarding and I will love them forever. ^_^
So many of the side characters are favorites of mine too—and everyone is so real that they practically step off the page! I especially liked to see more of Caiaphas, Lord Leo and his brother, Lady Bryren and Reidin (who are EPIC!), and other characters like Taegis, Karl, and wise Renlar, who is new but awesome. Meeting new characters and delving deeper into ones we had met previously and seeing how they change was one of my favorite things!
I also love the worldbuilding! Aaahh! Definitely one of my favorite fantasy worlds. The powers/gifts, and all the different cultures and places we get to visit. I was so excited to get to see more of this world! *beaming* I stepped right through the page into this fascinating place—so happy to return one last time, and sad when it was over. I’m going to miss these books! *hugs them forever* But it was such an epic and satisfying conclusion that it’s also hard to be anything other than elated. :D
I love the writing, too—how it’s not sparse by any means, but at the same time there’s nothing “extra” and it shows just exactly the right things, everything important that we need to know, drawing you right into the action and emotion. It felt so clean, well-written, and masterfully crafted together, with inspiring words in there as well. The spiritual journeys, redemption, and healing, and parts about the Light, were very well done.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to fangirl about more of my absolute favorite things, besides the characters and world, because there is SO much to love about this book. Apologies for any incoherency, but aaaahhhh! CRY OF THE RAVEN had so many amazing things that I adored!
+ Firstly, seeing more of the wyverns! (Yesss! I was totally hoping for that!)
+ I also absolutely loved how the dreamwalking was an even bigger part of this one and how it fit into the plot! (No spoilers, but aaahh!)
+ In the previous books, we’ve seen Selene’s dreamwalking gift and Damien’s water-manipulation gift, but only briefly touched on the other gifts in this world, so I was SO EXCITED to finally learn more about and get to see some of other Great Houses’ gifts in action a bit! (*muffled shrieking*)
+ ALSO! A couple of things about the ending were my absolute favorite! No spoilers, but you’ll know when you read the end. ;) (And the scene with the flower!! My heart! Aaahh! I don’t even know why I loved it so much but I ADORED THAT PART and it makes me smile and tear up. ^_^)
MARK OF THE RAVEN and FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN have been building up to this one and it’s everything I ever wanted! Nearly everything that I hoped to see was brought to light, and so many things that were good surprises, too! It was the perfect ending to this trilogy which I absolutely adore. I wholeheartedly recommend this series! If you are a fantasy fan, you need it in your life!
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are my own.)
September 20, 2024
*sighs with contentment* such a wonderful ending... Honestly, I think this one ties with book 2 for being my favorite.
Review to come!
Okay, it's been awhile since I read this book but I'm still going to write this review. Because I didn't think this one could tie with book 2- but somehow, it did. It really did. And though this review won't be my best because it's been awhile since I read it, I'm still going to do it.
I do not know what exactly it is about Damien and Selene as a couple, but oh my word, their relationship- I just adore it. It is literally one of my favorite romance pairings ever, ack- and it bears fruit so beautifully in this 3rd book. It's not even that they have a lot of amazing, witty banter, which I always enjoy. But I think part of it is the sheer beauty of the way they support and love each other.
In the last book, Damien was Selene's support and stay through a difficult time. But now, in this book, because of what he did for her, Selene finally comes into her own with her dream gift. She figures out what her gift is for. And it is SO AWESOME oh my word- It just makes you "Yes, Selene, yes! You go, girl!"
But now Damien has his own struggles. His own hurt that he has to work through, what's been plaguing him from book 1. And because Selene has come into her gift, because of the realization of the Light that Damien gave her, she's able to turn around and help him through his own pain.
But please, part of what makes this story so awesome is the side characters. Taegis, oh Taegis You've just got to love him, the classic mentor character.
And then, there was Selene's father, Caiaphas. He is such a strong man, to have given up so much for a wife who only intended to use him, and to choose to love the daughter who is not of his blood. But he is no meek and humble servant either. Truly, Lady Ravenwood had no idea who she married, lol.
And the brothers of House Luceras, I liked them too. Not so much Lord Leo (I think it was?), in the beginning, with his suspicions of Selene. But when he came around, then I liked him. And speaking of coming around, let's talk about Karl. Because in book 2, he was a bit of a pain, but by the end of book 3, he's so awesome- He really is a good man.
And of course, Lady Brywen of House Merek- she's just so awesome. Tough, blunt, and yet she didn't annoy me with any arrogant feminism.
As for plot, yeah, it was good. It was intense and it was twisty. It dealt with the gritty reality of war. But in the end- Light prevails. In more ways than one. And the houses are finally united. It's a wonderful, but very much hard won, ending.
I'm really, really glad I decided to reread this series this year and not only that, but do so in quick succession. I knew I liked this series, but I think I appreciated it even more this round then before. It meant more to me, somehow, and I enjoyed it so much. It has also reminded me of the power of dreams, and of choosing to stand by what is right even if it may cost you everything, like it did Selene to leave her house. Of choosing to stand by another and help them even if costs you deeply, as it did for Damien to marry Selene when he wasn't sure what that would mean.
In summary, this book ties with book 2 for favorite in the series. Book 1 is on the darker side, and not as good, but entirely worth reading. But these next two books are where things really get good.
Review to come!
Okay, it's been awhile since I read this book but I'm still going to write this review. Because I didn't think this one could tie with book 2- but somehow, it did. It really did. And though this review won't be my best because it's been awhile since I read it, I'm still going to do it.
I do not know what exactly it is about Damien and Selene as a couple, but oh my word, their relationship- I just adore it. It is literally one of my favorite romance pairings ever, ack- and it bears fruit so beautifully in this 3rd book. It's not even that they have a lot of amazing, witty banter, which I always enjoy. But I think part of it is the sheer beauty of the way they support and love each other.
In the last book, Damien was Selene's support and stay through a difficult time. But now, in this book, because of what he did for her, Selene finally comes into her own with her dream gift. She figures out what her gift is for. And it is SO AWESOME oh my word- It just makes you "Yes, Selene, yes! You go, girl!"
But now Damien has his own struggles. His own hurt that he has to work through, what's been plaguing him from book 1. And because Selene has come into her gift, because of the realization of the Light that Damien gave her, she's able to turn around and help him through his own pain.
But please, part of what makes this story so awesome is the side characters. Taegis, oh Taegis You've just got to love him, the classic mentor character.
And then, there was Selene's father, Caiaphas. He is such a strong man, to have given up so much for a wife who only intended to use him, and to choose to love the daughter who is not of his blood. But he is no meek and humble servant either. Truly, Lady Ravenwood had no idea who she married, lol.
And the brothers of House Luceras, I liked them too. Not so much Lord Leo (I think it was?), in the beginning, with his suspicions of Selene. But when he came around, then I liked him. And speaking of coming around, let's talk about Karl. Because in book 2, he was a bit of a pain, but by the end of book 3, he's so awesome- He really is a good man.
And of course, Lady Brywen of House Merek- she's just so awesome. Tough, blunt, and yet she didn't annoy me with any arrogant feminism.
As for plot, yeah, it was good. It was intense and it was twisty. It dealt with the gritty reality of war. But in the end- Light prevails. In more ways than one. And the houses are finally united. It's a wonderful, but very much hard won, ending.
I'm really, really glad I decided to reread this series this year and not only that, but do so in quick succession. I knew I liked this series, but I think I appreciated it even more this round then before. It meant more to me, somehow, and I enjoyed it so much. It has also reminded me of the power of dreams, and of choosing to stand by what is right even if it may cost you everything, like it did Selene to leave her house. Of choosing to stand by another and help them even if costs you deeply, as it did for Damien to marry Selene when he wasn't sure what that would mean.
In summary, this book ties with book 2 for favorite in the series. Book 1 is on the darker side, and not as good, but entirely worth reading. But these next two books are where things really get good.
November 15, 2024
4.5⭐️
A fantastic conclusion to an epic fantasy story!
The only reason it isn’t a 5⭐️ for me is that there is a lot of war strategy & maneuvering-which is exactly what this story called for, it’s just not overly my personal preference.
I won’t say much about the plot as it is book 3 in the series and almost anything could be spoilery….
Two things I really loved about this book though are spoilery, so scroll down if you dare 😜
…
…
…
1) I loved the way Morgan L Busse ended the storyline of Lady Ragna, in that it wasn’t a concrete ending. With her blindness, and Selene taking her into her home and praying for her redemption, it feels more like a fluid ending….that there is still hope for Lady Ragna, even if we don’t see it fulfilled in the book.
2) soooooo many Christian stories with a romance end the book with a pregnancy or baby, inferring that a baby=happily ever after, which is such an inaccurate mentality to promote, because baby does not, in fact, equal happiness. While Selene and Damien did have a child in the end, it wasn’t to make them ‘happy’, there was an actual purpose to Morgan L Busse writing a baby in the end and I LOVED that.
A fantastic conclusion to an epic fantasy story!
The only reason it isn’t a 5⭐️ for me is that there is a lot of war strategy & maneuvering-which is exactly what this story called for, it’s just not overly my personal preference.
I won’t say much about the plot as it is book 3 in the series and almost anything could be spoilery….
Two things I really loved about this book though are spoilery, so scroll down if you dare 😜
…
…
…
1) I loved the way Morgan L Busse ended the storyline of Lady Ragna, in that it wasn’t a concrete ending. With her blindness, and Selene taking her into her home and praying for her redemption, it feels more like a fluid ending….that there is still hope for Lady Ragna, even if we don’t see it fulfilled in the book.
2) soooooo many Christian stories with a romance end the book with a pregnancy or baby, inferring that a baby=happily ever after, which is such an inaccurate mentality to promote, because baby does not, in fact, equal happiness. While Selene and Damien did have a child in the end, it wasn’t to make them ‘happy’, there was an actual purpose to Morgan L Busse writing a baby in the end and I LOVED that.
October 4, 2024
What an amazing finish to the trilogy! There was so much action and intense battle scenes. It had me on the edge of my seat. Love this series so much! Well done!
September 30, 2025
Lovers of the Ravenwood Saga…don’t come at me. This was probably my least favorite of the series. 🫣
It was still a good book, of course! But I felt that it lacked the level of emotional depth that the previous books had. Part of this might have been due to the amount of time Selene and Damien spent apart during the the story. Also, the climax wasn’t quite as impactful as I’d hoped it would be.
Overall, though, this was a wonderful series with beautiful themes of light vs darkness. I’m ready to try more books by this author!
It was still a good book, of course! But I felt that it lacked the level of emotional depth that the previous books had. Part of this might have been due to the amount of time Selene and Damien spent apart during the the story. Also, the climax wasn’t quite as impactful as I’d hoped it would be.
Overall, though, this was a wonderful series with beautiful themes of light vs darkness. I’m ready to try more books by this author!
Want to read
July 4, 2019oh don't mind me i'll just be randomly sobbing in a corner until february 2020 finally arrives
February 6, 2020
I won’t write a full review because words cannot express how good this book is, just, read it, ok?
April 23, 2020
The trilogy concludes and I am at peace. I think there is room for more story to this world, but this was a satisfying way to end the series.
September 12, 2024
Overall Rating : C
The Nightwatcher protects those around her during the deepest parts of the night. The dreamer comforts the weary, inspires the broken, and brings peace to fearful minds.
This, my dreamwalker, is what you were made to do."
Selene and Damien have gone through so much, Now, they must unite the other Houses together to fight against the might of the Dominia Empire. But grudges and suspicion are hard to overcome, and it doesn't make it easier that Selene's mother and House Friere have joined the Empire's cause. But Selene has embraced her Dreamwalking powers, using it for the Light instead of the Dark Lady. And she could be the key to ending the battle once and for all.
A very cheesy ending to a cheesy series. Not that it wasn't bad, but it was pretty heavy on the "light" aspect, and you could definitely tell this is a christian-based fantasy.
In honesty, what made it not terrible was the love connection between Damien and Selene. They had great chemistry and made me blush and giggle in some parts. It's nice to see a healthy, non-toxic relationship where they talk to each other instead of the dreaded miscommunication trope.
Ending made me roll my eyes a bit, but I was pretty much expecting it to happen so it didn't bother me too much. Just a book that pretty much shoves religion down your throat and that's what saves the day, but at least it came with a bad-ass woman and a golden retriever man.
The Nightwatcher protects those around her during the deepest parts of the night. The dreamer comforts the weary, inspires the broken, and brings peace to fearful minds.
This, my dreamwalker, is what you were made to do."
Selene and Damien have gone through so much, Now, they must unite the other Houses together to fight against the might of the Dominia Empire. But grudges and suspicion are hard to overcome, and it doesn't make it easier that Selene's mother and House Friere have joined the Empire's cause. But Selene has embraced her Dreamwalking powers, using it for the Light instead of the Dark Lady. And she could be the key to ending the battle once and for all.
A very cheesy ending to a cheesy series. Not that it wasn't bad, but it was pretty heavy on the "light" aspect, and you could definitely tell this is a christian-based fantasy.
In honesty, what made it not terrible was the love connection between Damien and Selene. They had great chemistry and made me blush and giggle in some parts. It's nice to see a healthy, non-toxic relationship where they talk to each other instead of the dreaded miscommunication trope.
Ending made me roll my eyes a bit, but I was pretty much expecting it to happen so it didn't bother me too much. Just a book that pretty much shoves religion down your throat and that's what saves the day, but at least it came with a bad-ass woman and a golden retriever man.
September 14, 2024
"Letting go is not forgetting, and it is not a weakness to love people. But their lives are not yours to carry. They are yours to share. And when they pass on, they remain in the hands of the Light (allegory for the Lord)"
Reconciliation. Hope. Adventure. Cry of the Raven was an solid conclusion to the Ravenwood Saga. The main character Lady Selene Ravenwood has embraced her role, faith and destiny. I especially appreciated the theme of reconciliation, hope in the Lord regardless of the pain, loss and disappointment. Busse added so much depth to the world building and magical aspects to capture the Christian allegory. The romantic subplot between Selene and Damien Maris was swoon worthy but also full of depth and realism. I really enjoyed reading this series!
Reconciliation. Hope. Adventure. Cry of the Raven was an solid conclusion to the Ravenwood Saga. The main character Lady Selene Ravenwood has embraced her role, faith and destiny. I especially appreciated the theme of reconciliation, hope in the Lord regardless of the pain, loss and disappointment. Busse added so much depth to the world building and magical aspects to capture the Christian allegory. The romantic subplot between Selene and Damien Maris was swoon worthy but also full of depth and realism. I really enjoyed reading this series!
March 8, 2020
What an absolutely fabulous finish to this series!
Morgan Busse drew me into this world from book one, and as perfectly satisfying an ending this book brought, I can't say I'm quite ready to leave these characters yet! Selene and Damien have grown so much since Mark of the Raven and what fun it's been to journey alongside them.
I love Selene's quiet strength and determination. It's really refreshing to read about a protagonist like her when most fictional female leads seem to have the same personality these days. We get to see her trust and faith further progress in this book. Likewise, Damien goes through *whew* so much in this story, but he pushes through with his own quiet strength and determination and trust and faith, and it was beautiful.
My favorite part could either be the adventuring into the worldbuilding or the development of some of the side characters. Probably both. They were all so great to read about and their interactions with Selene were fascinating. I love that Busse lets each character's personality shine through so distinctly, making it easy to tell them all apart despite the size of the cast.
As usual, the faith elements were woven in wonderfully. This book is probably my favorite in the series! (I especially adore how everything was tied together in the end. NO LOOSE ENDS.) Although I'll definitely be missing these peeps, I can't wait to see what else the author is planning for the future!
Always be a happy camper!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*
Morgan Busse drew me into this world from book one, and as perfectly satisfying an ending this book brought, I can't say I'm quite ready to leave these characters yet! Selene and Damien have grown so much since Mark of the Raven and what fun it's been to journey alongside them.
I love Selene's quiet strength and determination. It's really refreshing to read about a protagonist like her when most fictional female leads seem to have the same personality these days. We get to see her trust and faith further progress in this book. Likewise, Damien goes through *whew* so much in this story, but he pushes through with his own quiet strength and determination and trust and faith, and it was beautiful.
My favorite part could either be the adventuring into the worldbuilding or the development of some of the side characters. Probably both. They were all so great to read about and their interactions with Selene were fascinating. I love that Busse lets each character's personality shine through so distinctly, making it easy to tell them all apart despite the size of the cast.
As usual, the faith elements were woven in wonderfully. This book is probably my favorite in the series! (I especially adore how everything was tied together in the end. NO LOOSE ENDS.) Although I'll definitely be missing these peeps, I can't wait to see what else the author is planning for the future!
Always be a happy camper!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*
February 11, 2025
Oh my gosh 😭 I love this book so much! I love this trilogy so much. This book was such a great conclusion and moved me so deeply. Absolutely loved it and was so invested and inspired by this novel! So so good!
The characters, the faith, the plot!! Masterpiece
The characters, the faith, the plot!! Masterpiece
February 11, 2020
I finished this book several days ago, and I'm still trying to put all my fangirling thoughts in order. It is so good!
In this book, Selene really comes into her own. In the first two books, Damien has to be the rock for both of them since she is still struggling with her past and coming to the Light.
In this one, both of them still have struggles, but Selene is strong enough that Damien can lean on her just as much as she leans on him. It makes for a beautiful relationship and a wonderful example of what marriage should look like.
This book really starts to put the pieces together from the previous two books. There were a lot of threads from book one that were wrapped up in this book. Things that seemed to be side tangents in that book became important in this book. So well done!
The worldbuilding came to full force in this book, and I could see all the ways the author had been carefully building for this book in the previous ones. It was so cool to see the way Selene learned to use her dreamwalking at full strength and what she was able to do with it.
There is so much I could say about this book! The ending is amazing and so tense! The audiobook is well done, and I couldn't stop listening!
If you haven't picked this series up yet, what are you waiting for?
In this book, Selene really comes into her own. In the first two books, Damien has to be the rock for both of them since she is still struggling with her past and coming to the Light.
In this one, both of them still have struggles, but Selene is strong enough that Damien can lean on her just as much as she leans on him. It makes for a beautiful relationship and a wonderful example of what marriage should look like.
This book really starts to put the pieces together from the previous two books. There were a lot of threads from book one that were wrapped up in this book. Things that seemed to be side tangents in that book became important in this book. So well done!
The worldbuilding came to full force in this book, and I could see all the ways the author had been carefully building for this book in the previous ones. It was so cool to see the way Selene learned to use her dreamwalking at full strength and what she was able to do with it.
There is so much I could say about this book! The ending is amazing and so tense! The audiobook is well done, and I couldn't stop listening!
If you haven't picked this series up yet, what are you waiting for?
October 31, 2020
Wow. I just finished this last night and am still processing, but this may be the most personally touching book I've read this year. The Ravenwood Saga are the first books I ever read from Morgan L Busse and I didn't know what to expect. In fact, I won the first book in a giveaway and promptly had to run to Goodreads because I'd forgotten what it was about.😅 It was a darker story premise than would normally attract me, but the author's skill with theme, story, and character drew me in, and the hope of better things to come kept me going to the next book. The second book was even better and I adored learning more about the world, watching Selene grow as a person, and seeing her and Damien become closer (note how I'm being vague to avoid spoilers :P). Oh, and Busse is excellent about endings that, while I wouldn't consider them "cliff hangers" still grab you by the throat and drag you into the next book, so by the time I got this third book I was very excited for it.
It did not disappoint. This was the best possible ending to this trilogy I could have imagined. It's hard to talk about the story without spoilers, but suffice it to say that the story threads, the themes, the character arcs were finished in the best possible way. I was so touched that I cried several times throughout. One thing that I appreciated the most was how Selene and Damien's marriage was handled. They had growing to do and issues to overcome, both individually and as a couple, but in the end they were such a wonderful picture of what a Christian marriage should look like. (And honestly, it's one of the best representations of this I may have ever seen in fiction.) They supported each other through their struggled, emotional and spiritual, interceding for each other in prayer, and yet they understood that no amount of romantic love could heal the other person. Only God (called The Light in this world) could do that, and there have been times in the series that each had to stand back and allow the Light to deal with the other person in His own way.
The other thing that was even more touching to me was the continued theme of giving one's gift to God and figuring out how best to use it for His glory. This is something Selene struggled with throughout the series and to see her finally figure it out and use her gift such powerful good and fight with such conviction... *cries* I can't give details lest I spoil anyone, but it was very inspiring to me.
Truly, I think the only real critique I can give is that the beginning was slightly slow with all the political discussion going on between the houses, but the action soon amped up and I never had that complaint again.
This story and the trilogy as a complete work gets 5 glowing stars from me. I am blown away, and 100 percent recommend it to anyone interested. I hope the author may someday return to this world and show us what happens to certain characters in the future.
Content Advisory:
Violence:
The war between the alliance and the empire has begun, so there is frequent violence in the latter 2/3 of the book. There are many mentions of blood in relation to injuries (some mild and some fatal) and killing in battle, and in the process of retaking various locations. The smell of blood is mentioned sometimes, too. However, these mentions are never overly drawn out or described in extreme detail. Unnamed soldiers are crushed by huge rocks launched from catapults, but this is not described in any detail. There is also mild description of multiple wyverns getting shot out of the sky with spears.
A couple times, the stabbing and killing of someone on the opposing side is moderately described, including brief description of blood.
Someone gets badly burned on one side of their body. Pain is described along with the mention of the smell of burning hair and skin. Later, scars are described.
Someone gets stabbed in the shoulder/chest area. Intense pain is described and it is mentioned that the individual tastes blood.
There are a couple of emotionally impactful deaths, but I will not name the characters here. One dies in an non-violent, but sad manner, while another is shot with multiple arrows. Blood is mentioned in the case of the latter death.
Though death is dealt by both sides, those who are with the alliance, especially Selene, Damien, and Caiaphas, don't take such things lightly, nor do they enjoy it. A couple conversations are had addressing the issue and the fact that they are being forced to make the choice to kill the enemy in order to save the innocent is given appropriate weight. Damien also is shown to experience this emotional weight as he fights in the final battle.
The final battle between Selene, The Dark Lady, and is intense. Selene endures both physical and emotional/spiritual attacks.
Though not necessarily violent, the Dark Lady helps Selene's mother put many soldiers in a "death sleep" from which they cannot awake without Selene's help.
Selene witnesses a memory in which a woman slaps her own daughter in the face.
Someone gets blinded by intense light.
Sexual:
Several kisses and attraction between a married couple. Some of the kisses are passionate, and all the kisses are a little bit described, but the description is never gratuitous or lengthy.
In the first book of the series, Raoul informed Selene that his and her houses have a history of extra-marital affairs between their leaders and outright states that he and she will carry on this "tradition". She was disgusted by this, so naturally, when she is forced to interact with him in this book, she remembers that moment and wonders if he will still be after her. In one chapter from his perspective he refers to her as having "sultry" looks, and later, he does attempt to stroke her face when they speak alone at one point (because he insisted he had to speak to her alone), but she slaps his hand away and tells him resoundingly that she loves her husband and Raoul needs to back off. He doesn't try anything again.
Selene's little sister Ophie was revealed in the last book to be the product of
Spiritual:
As was the case with the previous two books, there are strong Christian spiritual elements/themes throughout. Selene continues learning about and growing in her relationship with The Light, and learning what it looks like to reject the darkness of her past and use her power the way the Light intended rather than the wicked way her family has been using it for many generations. Once again, she sees people's souls in the dreamscape, some covered in darkness and chains and some bright balls of light depending on if they've chosen to follow The Light or not. She spends a large portion of her time spiritually ministering to people in the dreamscape, either by comforting and encouraging them and chasing away nightmares, or showing the Light to those who are dying and easing their passing. Selene also supports Damien through a difficult spiritual battle that he endures at one point. It is made clear that while Selene supports him through this, she is NOT the one who heals him. The Light is the only one able to do that.
Surrendering one's unique gifts to God and resisting temptation to use them in ways that would be wrong are huge themes in this book.
The "Dark Lady" makes multiple appearances again and continues to be as evil as before, however, we learn about the differences between her and the Light, namely that she is nowhere near as powerful, only has the power that is given to her by her worshipers (unlike the Light who exists and has the utmost power no matter who believes in him), can only offer her followers suffering and nightmares, and in the end
It did not disappoint. This was the best possible ending to this trilogy I could have imagined. It's hard to talk about the story without spoilers, but suffice it to say that the story threads, the themes, the character arcs were finished in the best possible way. I was so touched that I cried several times throughout. One thing that I appreciated the most was how Selene and Damien's marriage was handled. They had growing to do and issues to overcome, both individually and as a couple, but in the end they were such a wonderful picture of what a Christian marriage should look like. (And honestly, it's one of the best representations of this I may have ever seen in fiction.) They supported each other through their struggled, emotional and spiritual, interceding for each other in prayer, and yet they understood that no amount of romantic love could heal the other person. Only God (called The Light in this world) could do that, and there have been times in the series that each had to stand back and allow the Light to deal with the other person in His own way.
The other thing that was even more touching to me was the continued theme of giving one's gift to God and figuring out how best to use it for His glory. This is something Selene struggled with throughout the series and to see her finally figure it out and use her gift such powerful good and fight with such conviction... *cries* I can't give details lest I spoil anyone, but it was very inspiring to me.
Truly, I think the only real critique I can give is that the beginning was slightly slow with all the political discussion going on between the houses, but the action soon amped up and I never had that complaint again.
This story and the trilogy as a complete work gets 5 glowing stars from me. I am blown away, and 100 percent recommend it to anyone interested. I hope the author may someday return to this world and show us what happens to certain characters in the future.
Content Advisory:
Violence:
The war between the alliance and the empire has begun, so there is frequent violence in the latter 2/3 of the book. There are many mentions of blood in relation to injuries (some mild and some fatal) and killing in battle, and in the process of retaking various locations. The smell of blood is mentioned sometimes, too. However, these mentions are never overly drawn out or described in extreme detail. Unnamed soldiers are crushed by huge rocks launched from catapults, but this is not described in any detail. There is also mild description of multiple wyverns getting shot out of the sky with spears.
A couple times, the stabbing and killing of someone on the opposing side is moderately described, including brief description of blood.
Someone gets badly burned on one side of their body. Pain is described along with the mention of the smell of burning hair and skin. Later, scars are described.
Someone gets stabbed in the shoulder/chest area. Intense pain is described and it is mentioned that the individual tastes blood.
There are a couple of emotionally impactful deaths, but I will not name the characters here. One dies in an non-violent, but sad manner, while another is shot with multiple arrows. Blood is mentioned in the case of the latter death.
Though death is dealt by both sides, those who are with the alliance, especially Selene, Damien, and Caiaphas, don't take such things lightly, nor do they enjoy it. A couple conversations are had addressing the issue and the fact that they are being forced to make the choice to kill the enemy in order to save the innocent is given appropriate weight. Damien also is shown to experience this emotional weight as he fights in the final battle.
The final battle between Selene, The Dark Lady, and is intense. Selene endures both physical and emotional/spiritual attacks.
Though not necessarily violent, the Dark Lady helps Selene's mother put many soldiers in a "death sleep" from which they cannot awake without Selene's help.
Selene witnesses a memory in which a woman slaps her own daughter in the face.
Someone gets blinded by intense light.
Sexual:
Several kisses and attraction between a married couple. Some of the kisses are passionate, and all the kisses are a little bit described, but the description is never gratuitous or lengthy.
In the first book of the series, Raoul informed Selene that his and her houses have a history of extra-marital affairs between their leaders and outright states that he and she will carry on this "tradition". She was disgusted by this, so naturally, when she is forced to interact with him in this book, she remembers that moment and wonders if he will still be after her. In one chapter from his perspective he refers to her as having "sultry" looks, and later, he does attempt to stroke her face when they speak alone at one point (because he insisted he had to speak to her alone), but she slaps his hand away and tells him resoundingly that she loves her husband and Raoul needs to back off. He doesn't try anything again.
Selene's little sister Ophie was revealed in the last book to be the product of
Spiritual:
As was the case with the previous two books, there are strong Christian spiritual elements/themes throughout. Selene continues learning about and growing in her relationship with The Light, and learning what it looks like to reject the darkness of her past and use her power the way the Light intended rather than the wicked way her family has been using it for many generations. Once again, she sees people's souls in the dreamscape, some covered in darkness and chains and some bright balls of light depending on if they've chosen to follow The Light or not. She spends a large portion of her time spiritually ministering to people in the dreamscape, either by comforting and encouraging them and chasing away nightmares, or showing the Light to those who are dying and easing their passing. Selene also supports Damien through a difficult spiritual battle that he endures at one point. It is made clear that while Selene supports him through this, she is NOT the one who heals him. The Light is the only one able to do that.
Surrendering one's unique gifts to God and resisting temptation to use them in ways that would be wrong are huge themes in this book.
The "Dark Lady" makes multiple appearances again and continues to be as evil as before, however, we learn about the differences between her and the Light, namely that she is nowhere near as powerful, only has the power that is given to her by her worshipers (unlike the Light who exists and has the utmost power no matter who believes in him), can only offer her followers suffering and nightmares, and in the end
October 17, 2025
Love love love this series! I am so thankful- Sharon loves to read- gifted me the first book for my birthday (or Christmas?) last year!
I definitely recommend this series to fantasy and romance readers. Overall, as a series I think it’s appropriate for older ya.. maybe 15+. There’s one closed door scene in book 2.
Well done! This will be a reread series for sure.
“How did it come to this? How did the gifts of our houses become so perverted?
Hatred. It’s a poison that seeps into the very soul of a person. It can turn the light into darkness.”
I definitely recommend this series to fantasy and romance readers. Overall, as a series I think it’s appropriate for older ya.. maybe 15+. There’s one closed door scene in book 2.
Well done! This will be a reread series for sure.
“How did it come to this? How did the gifts of our houses become so perverted?
Hatred. It’s a poison that seeps into the very soul of a person. It can turn the light into darkness.”
June 2, 2021
"Don't cover them up. Your scars are proof that you lived."
It's official.....this is my new favourite trilogy!!!! I especially love the way Ms. Busse wove in the magic, truths about God and detail. She's a very gifted writer!
Main POVS
Selene: I have really come to love who Selene has become. She is rewriting her destiny and her character development is phenomenal. She really becomes very devoted to the Light in this book which is also amazing.
Damien: First off, I adore Selene and Damien's relationship (they're married). They really, truly love each other the way the Light/God intended and it's beautiful ❤️. I love who Damien becomes throughout the series, he has such a caring and loving heart. I also loved how he is broken enough to feel real, but is still a really great person.
**
OVERVIEW
"Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker just as the war with the Dominia Empire begins. Working with the other Great Houses, Selene and Damien use their gifts to secure the borders and save those devastated by the war. But conflict, betrayal, and hatred begin to spread between the Great Houses, destroying their unity as the empire burns a path across their lands. At the same time, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.
The only one who can unite the houses and restore her husband's power is Selene Ravenwood. But it will require that she open her heart to those who have hurt her and let go of her past, despite the one who hunts her and will do anything to stop her power.
Will Selene survive? Or is she destined to fall like the dreamwalkers before her?"
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Damien is an excellent example for men and women. Lots of courage and compassion shown throughout the story. Forgiveness and love are main focuses.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Lots of mentions of the Light. The Dark Lady tries to trap Selene on her dreamscape.
VIOLENCE
Mentions of fights. Death, blood, and pain described. There is a war. Fighting and weapons. Several people are killed.
SEXUAL CONTENT
Clean. The main characters are married (sleep in the same room). Kissing and embracing. Mention of a marriage. One mention of a woman having an affair. Please note: the romance was never inappropriate or went too far.
LANGUAGE
Dart'an is said and appears to be an exclamation of surprise or anger. When a battle is happening it is described as "hell".
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
None.
OTHER NOTES
Beautifully written story. Highly suggest!!
**
"Remember what we're fighting for."
It's official.....this is my new favourite trilogy!!!! I especially love the way Ms. Busse wove in the magic, truths about God and detail. She's a very gifted writer!
Main POVS
Selene: I have really come to love who Selene has become. She is rewriting her destiny and her character development is phenomenal. She really becomes very devoted to the Light in this book which is also amazing.
Damien: First off, I adore Selene and Damien's relationship (they're married). They really, truly love each other the way the Light/God intended and it's beautiful ❤️. I love who Damien becomes throughout the series, he has such a caring and loving heart. I also loved how he is broken enough to feel real, but is still a really great person.
**
OVERVIEW
"Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker just as the war with the Dominia Empire begins. Working with the other Great Houses, Selene and Damien use their gifts to secure the borders and save those devastated by the war. But conflict, betrayal, and hatred begin to spread between the Great Houses, destroying their unity as the empire burns a path across their lands. At the same time, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.
The only one who can unite the houses and restore her husband's power is Selene Ravenwood. But it will require that she open her heart to those who have hurt her and let go of her past, despite the one who hunts her and will do anything to stop her power.
Will Selene survive? Or is she destined to fall like the dreamwalkers before her?"
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Damien is an excellent example for men and women. Lots of courage and compassion shown throughout the story. Forgiveness and love are main focuses.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Lots of mentions of the Light. The Dark Lady tries to trap Selene on her dreamscape.
VIOLENCE
Mentions of fights. Death, blood, and pain described. There is a war. Fighting and weapons. Several people are killed.
SEXUAL CONTENT
Clean. The main characters are married (sleep in the same room). Kissing and embracing. Mention of a marriage. One mention of a woman having an affair. Please note: the romance was never inappropriate or went too far.
LANGUAGE
Dart'an is said and appears to be an exclamation of surprise or anger. When a battle is happening it is described as "hell".
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
None.
OTHER NOTES
Beautifully written story. Highly suggest!!
**
"Remember what we're fighting for."
December 23, 2024
Oof, and we come to the conclusion to this fantastic trilogy. All three books are incredible. Five star reads. Couldn't put them down. At no point did I feel like one book was a let down, including this beautiful conclusion.
Selene continues to grow stronger and stronger - both in her magic and in her newfound faith in the Light. *cue tears* The allegorical threads and themes in this just touch my soul. I already want to reread them all!
I loved seeing how the houses came together in this one. The dynamics of doubt and trust, the choices each player made (both good and bad!) kept me turning pages. There were some stubborn characters in here! And a few surprising ones, too. Selene and Damien are front and center in a rocky empirical war, but they've already been through some stuff, so it was cool to see them begin to stand together against the world. Though, of course, I still think Busse does a fabulous job of portraying the nuance of humanity in relationships - no matter how well we know or trust one another, there are always hiccups.
This thrilling conclusion is action packed, and Busse's still got a few tricks up her sleeve for this one. It was delightful to dive in deeper to some characters who'd had smaller roles in previous books, and I definitely had my suspicions about how some of their goals would (or wouldn't) be accomplished. That said, there were some moments of sacrifice I was NOT prepared for! (One in particular that still makes me tear up! Ugh!)
The book brims with a beautiful balance of light and dark, good and evil, and redemption and stubborn foolishness. The sacrifice, love, courage, and clever strategy make this a fantastic read. And the heart makes this an exceptional one.
Content: no swearing, clean romance, some mild fantasy violence. Themes of dark vs. light, including a power-hungry Dark Lady and her cultish following and some tangible representations of spiritual warfare, bitterness and revenge, redemption and growth, faith and salvation, integrity, morality, purpose, etc. It sounds like a lot, but they're woven in so tightly and beautifully. Suitable for teens.
Selene continues to grow stronger and stronger - both in her magic and in her newfound faith in the Light. *cue tears* The allegorical threads and themes in this just touch my soul. I already want to reread them all!
I loved seeing how the houses came together in this one. The dynamics of doubt and trust, the choices each player made (both good and bad!) kept me turning pages. There were some stubborn characters in here! And a few surprising ones, too. Selene and Damien are front and center in a rocky empirical war, but they've already been through some stuff, so it was cool to see them begin to stand together against the world. Though, of course, I still think Busse does a fabulous job of portraying the nuance of humanity in relationships - no matter how well we know or trust one another, there are always hiccups.
This thrilling conclusion is action packed, and Busse's still got a few tricks up her sleeve for this one. It was delightful to dive in deeper to some characters who'd had smaller roles in previous books, and I definitely had my suspicions about how some of their goals would (or wouldn't) be accomplished. That said, there were some moments of sacrifice I was NOT prepared for! (One in particular that still makes me tear up! Ugh!)
The book brims with a beautiful balance of light and dark, good and evil, and redemption and stubborn foolishness. The sacrifice, love, courage, and clever strategy make this a fantastic read. And the heart makes this an exceptional one.
Content: no swearing, clean romance, some mild fantasy violence. Themes of dark vs. light, including a power-hungry Dark Lady and her cultish following and some tangible representations of spiritual warfare, bitterness and revenge, redemption and growth, faith and salvation, integrity, morality, purpose, etc. It sounds like a lot, but they're woven in so tightly and beautifully. Suitable for teens.
January 17, 2020
A perfect finish to a perfect series.
With disaster and ruin marching ever closer, Busse takes the characters we have come to love (or hate) and plunges deep into the souls, minds and hearts of each for answers, courage, hope and a victory that can only come through the bonds of unity.
*pokes the publisher* Spin off series, please?
With disaster and ruin marching ever closer, Busse takes the characters we have come to love (or hate) and plunges deep into the souls, minds and hearts of each for answers, courage, hope and a victory that can only come through the bonds of unity.
*pokes the publisher* Spin off series, please?
December 17, 2019
Received an eARC for review.
There are no words to express how much I adored this trilogy and this conclusion was perfection. I want to cry and scream on the top of a hilltop about how much I love this trilogy. Morgan L. Busse has crafted an amazing fantasy world, wove scripture seamlessly and created such dynamic characters you grow to love and dislike.
Selene has grown so much from the first book to the last. She's stronger emotionally. Doesn't rely on herself and on thoughts. She's more into the people and protecting those she loves. She's all for the Light and fighting back against the Dark Lady. Seeing her mature in her gift was absolutely fantastic. Selene will always be my little pudding pie. I adore her heart.
Damien was such an amazing young man from beginning to end. What I appreciated most in this is that we got to see his vulnerable side. He shows that even though you may have a huge heart, there is a weakness and mental battle with that. Damien is a man of honor, courage and love. He embodies what a man should be in leadership, love and family.
The romance was clean, sweet and everything! I adored the way their romance wasn't always peaches and cream. You saw the good, the saw the bad, the arguments, the drama, the harsh words said to one another. You saw them grow and mature in their love and romance. They definitely had a strong connection since book one, but this final book gave me everything and more especially Riven.
Lady Ragna is still a woman I can't stand, but I felt bad for her towards the end. She's the product of what happens when you live by the past your family dictates to you. The Dark Lady was a wicked being. I'm glad she was done away with.
Lord Leo was HIGHLY aggravating at first, but I loved his apology and how he befriended Selene. Lady Ayaka, Lady Bryren, Lord Renlar and Raoul were all great assets. Seeing the Great House coming together along with some of the lesser and noble houses was epic. It proved that people work better together rather then against one another.
The faith aspects were phenomenal in this story! Learning to lean on God when your strength runs out. Learning to use your gifts for better. Understanding that even in the dark moments the Light still shines. I can go on and on about the faith, but I just loved the use of scripture.
Overall, this was an epic end. War, love and victory. I highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy as a whole. A fantastic Christian fantasy!
There are no words to express how much I adored this trilogy and this conclusion was perfection. I want to cry and scream on the top of a hilltop about how much I love this trilogy. Morgan L. Busse has crafted an amazing fantasy world, wove scripture seamlessly and created such dynamic characters you grow to love and dislike.
Selene has grown so much from the first book to the last. She's stronger emotionally. Doesn't rely on herself and on thoughts. She's more into the people and protecting those she loves. She's all for the Light and fighting back against the Dark Lady. Seeing her mature in her gift was absolutely fantastic. Selene will always be my little pudding pie. I adore her heart.
Damien was such an amazing young man from beginning to end. What I appreciated most in this is that we got to see his vulnerable side. He shows that even though you may have a huge heart, there is a weakness and mental battle with that. Damien is a man of honor, courage and love. He embodies what a man should be in leadership, love and family.
The romance was clean, sweet and everything! I adored the way their romance wasn't always peaches and cream. You saw the good, the saw the bad, the arguments, the drama, the harsh words said to one another. You saw them grow and mature in their love and romance. They definitely had a strong connection since book one, but this final book gave me everything and more especially Riven.
Lady Ragna is still a woman I can't stand, but I felt bad for her towards the end. She's the product of what happens when you live by the past your family dictates to you. The Dark Lady was a wicked being. I'm glad she was done away with.
Lord Leo was HIGHLY aggravating at first, but I loved his apology and how he befriended Selene. Lady Ayaka, Lady Bryren, Lord Renlar and Raoul were all great assets. Seeing the Great House coming together along with some of the lesser and noble houses was epic. It proved that people work better together rather then against one another.
The faith aspects were phenomenal in this story! Learning to lean on God when your strength runs out. Learning to use your gifts for better. Understanding that even in the dark moments the Light still shines. I can go on and on about the faith, but I just loved the use of scripture.
Overall, this was an epic end. War, love and victory. I highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy as a whole. A fantastic Christian fantasy!
July 20, 2020
***4.5 stars***
I may be slightly obsessed. I received a review copy via Netgalley. That wasn't enough, I purchased a kindle copy. While I was reading the book I decided that I needed a paperback copy to complete my collection. I own two separate copies of the book. There is no reason that I shouldn't reread the whole series one right after the other instead of time lapses between each.
The book and characters were so real to me. It is set in a fantasy medieval world. The forces between light and dark are waging a war that is brought to a conclusion in this book. There are houses that have been given the task to protect the land, but two of the houses left the light and entered into a pact with the "dark lady" and are seeking to control the other houses.
Seline and Damien are from two different houses, one that worships the light, and the other, the dark. They are both powerful leaders that when they joined forces as husband and wife, make a powerful weapon against the darkness.
I give a hearty recommendation for the series. They need to be read in order. I finished the series feeling fulfilled and sad that the journey came to an end. It would be nice to imagine that there is a place where the characters continue to live a "happily ever after" after the last page of the book. In my mind, I will continue to imagine that that place is real.
I may be slightly obsessed. I received a review copy via Netgalley. That wasn't enough, I purchased a kindle copy. While I was reading the book I decided that I needed a paperback copy to complete my collection. I own two separate copies of the book. There is no reason that I shouldn't reread the whole series one right after the other instead of time lapses between each.
The book and characters were so real to me. It is set in a fantasy medieval world. The forces between light and dark are waging a war that is brought to a conclusion in this book. There are houses that have been given the task to protect the land, but two of the houses left the light and entered into a pact with the "dark lady" and are seeking to control the other houses.
Seline and Damien are from two different houses, one that worships the light, and the other, the dark. They are both powerful leaders that when they joined forces as husband and wife, make a powerful weapon against the darkness.
I give a hearty recommendation for the series. They need to be read in order. I finished the series feeling fulfilled and sad that the journey came to an end. It would be nice to imagine that there is a place where the characters continue to live a "happily ever after" after the last page of the book. In my mind, I will continue to imagine that that place is real.
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