The Princess and The Pawn

The Raven and the Dove #0.5

by Kaitlyn Davis

A princess longing to be free. A bastard aching to belong. Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart...

Don't miss this prequel novella to The Raven and the Dove, an avian-inspired fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

Taking place the day before book one of the series begins, The Princess and the Pawn follows two of the four main characters—Lyana, the dove princess, and Rafe, the bastard born raven—as they prepare for the upcoming courtship trials, in which the royal heirs of all the avian houses compete for mates.

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Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Novella, Romance, Ebooks, Retellings, Short Stories

30 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, "Davis writes with confidence and poise," while USA Today has recommended her work as "must-read romance."

To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

Sign up for Kaitlyn's newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of her new releases and more! http://bit.ly/AuthorNewsletter

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Follow her on Instagram here: Instagram.com/kaitlyndavisbooks/

Reviews

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 3 out of 5]

really hard to review a prequel/novella but i liked it and i can tell i’m going to enjoy The Raven and the Dove

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

I had the chance to read the first book in the series, The Raven and the Dove , in advance and I really enjoyed it. So I was very happy to find out that there is a short prequel novella that everyone can read. I think it does a good job in presenting the main characters and it's also a nice addition to the main books. If you want to read this before the release day of the first book, you can totally do that without getting spoiled.

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 3 out of 5]

|| 3.0 stars ||

This prequel novella seems like a good beginning to an interesting series: The characters appear likable, the world-building is creative, the writing goes at a pleasant pace and the plot has potential.
It also doesn't hurt that I already found myself to be invested in how this story is going to turn out.
I definitely enjoyed this read and I am eager to continue with The Raven and the Dove.

[Ekene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting start. Hoping to get this series in 2022

[Feyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book arrived today and I can't wait to start it! This was a nice short prequel that gave us insights on how the main characters tick. I really enjoyed this and it's certainly nice to check outnif you would like the series without taking on the whole first book. If you already know the books, this is a nice addition.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little prequel novel here was an enjoyable read. It gives us some glimpses to what is going to happen at the beginning of The Raven and the Dove. It really is a good addition to the main novel.

[Cielo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems like a very interesting story! It was a good introduction to Lyana and Rafe's lives and their magical world. I'm really excited to move on to The Raven And The Dove and see how the courting trials turn out, as well as what King Malek might be planning.

[Valkyrie ✨]

I can’t rate something so short and with so little substance 😅

[Aishwarya✨️ chronicleofreads]

This book made me excited to start a series that I might like !
Don't know how to rate it though ... 😕 🤔

[Tilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

A great little novella to give some background to the series, although I wish it had given a little more about life before the trials. Still, I very much enjoyed it!

[Gypsy Madden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novella-length.

In a world of bird-people, dove princess Lyana wants to be the best, so she’ll get her pick of suitors at the courtship trials rather than be shackled to whoever her parents pick for her. But what she really wants in life is freedom, but she knows it’s not to be with being a princess. Rafe is the son of the former ruler, and the half-brother of the crown prince. The crown prince looks so much like him, they could be twins, and with the crown prince lacking confidence, training, and one hand, Rafe knows that people didn’t argue against him accompanying the crown prince to the courtship trials for a reason.

This is basically just an introduction to the main characters, leading up to yet another competition-focused indie book. I keep wondering if the competitions have become popular because of Hunger Games or just because of one too many low-budget reality competition shows. Honestly, I thought the bird-people were rather corny. Having wings is one thing. I picked up this book via a bookfunnel giveaway and I didn’t get much of a blurb at the time, so I was assuming from their wings this would be an angel versus fallen angel romance and I did love the idea of a retelling of Tristan and Isolde. But it’s rather corny for the bird people in this book to actually have characteristics of the different types of birds. I did like the characters of Lyana and Rafe. I like that Lyana is trying to prove herself and show others that she’s not just something to be won. And I love that she wants her freedom, but realistically knows she can’t have it, at least not as much as she’d like, so she’s determined to win what she can. And I like Rafe, though for trying to not be noticed, he certainly does his best to stand out in sparring. I do love his friendship with his half-brother, and I totally root for him to help his half-brother gain confidence. But the request by his brother at the end, made me lose interest in the crown prince since it totally steamrolled over Rafe and forced him into a corner. One question: who is King Malek? It sounds like he’s supposed to be important, but I have no idea who he is since he just pops up in the final scene.

[Fazila · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW :

DISCLAIMER : Thank You, Kaitlyn Davis, for the ARC of this prequel. I will be sharing my honest review in exchange for the ARC.

When I signed up to be part of the ARC team on Kaitlyn's page I was very excited to get my hands on the copy of the prequel to The Raven And The Dove. I absolutely loved the book, I think it is an impressive beginning to a beautiful series. The story, the world-building, complex characters, conflicts, and writing was all on-point. The prequel pretty much confirms the facts laid out by the first book. Gives us insight into the House Of Peace and their Kingdom. Little background information regarding Ana's parents' wedding and their story is also given. The prequel timeline is a day before the raven's entering into doves' Kingdom for the Matching ceremony. The POVs of Ana, Rafe are given and their thoughts and preparations prior to the ceremonies are explained. The book, in my opinion, complements the first book nicely. I think if you have read The Raven And The Dove you should definitely pick it up. I gave the book 5 stars. I really can't wait to read the second book in the series and get to know more about the world Kaitlyn has created for us.

[Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm currently reading an arc of The Hunter and the Mage; book 2 of The Raven and the Dove series. And I realized I never actually got around to reading this short prequel story that still features our main characters, Lyana and Rafe. The Princess and The Pawn is an introduction to The Raven and the Dove series. It can be read before book 1 but I'm glad I didn't read it until after because there's big plot hints in it that are spoilery.

[gladness · Rating 3 out of 5]

★ 3 stars!!

💌 ”malek knew one thing for certain—he would have her, no matter the cost.”

reviewing prequels (or even sequels) can be tricky, but i snagged a copy of the prequel for this series and figured i'd dive into it before kicking off the actual first book. gotta say, i'm excited to see where this series goes! 😋 the prequel left me with a bunch of unanswered questions, and i'm desperate for answers. especially that last chapter in the king's pov? YUPP, that sealed the deal for me, and i'm diving straight into the next book! 😵‍💫

[Zaiba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was so good!! I'm very excited to read The Raven and the Dove now!!

[Selena F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3'75/5

Un comienzo muy, muy interesante, aunque deja muchas cosas en el aire (cosa que entiendo) y la verdad es que para lo cortito que es los personajes me han gustado bastante, por lo menos lo que he visto de ellos. Un comienzo muy prometedor.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great novella with a lot of information on the characters and world building, for sure a short story. I haven’t read the main series but now the Raven and the Dove is on my radar.

[Sheila G]

Book 1: The Raven and the Dove ★★★★

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.

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[CATastrophe · Rating 2 out of 5]

2stars
50% rating

I’d be lying to myself if I gave this 3stars. Because I was just extremely disconnected from this story.

But in all honesty, this short novella isn’t bad.
I did like the aspect of Xander and Rafe’s brotherly relationship.

I would recommend just reading the first book, and then reading this prequel if you want more content.

[Layla Crowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a delightful snippet, I adored The Raven and the Dove and this has geared me up perfectly for diving into the sequel!

If you are looking for a unique world, with bird human hybrids, mystery, dark lore, dragons, love and betrayal, then this might just be for you.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good intro to some of the characters.

[⋆Aree⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uy, interesante, me gustó 💕👀👀

[mar✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

esto se va poner bueno

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Nice little short prequel that introduces the story.

[grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

this prequel has made me really interested in the direction the series is going, i’ll definitely continue

[Athina (booknotes_athina) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was a very good taste of what we will see in The Raven and the Dove. It made me more interested in the book.
I really liked the story, the writing and the world building.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart warming prequel:) Didn't add a ton to the world/story but I enjoyed it nonetheless ❤

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few months ago I saw the Raven and the Dove on Netgalley and it sounded as the perfect book for me. A fairytale retelling, fantasy elements, a new kingdom to explore and some tragic romance. It's still one of my favorite reads of the year and I'm so looking forward to the rest of the world discovering this book too!

Of course, you can already read the prequel to get in the right mood. I think it gives a really nice impression of the world, the characters and the setting of the story, just as it introduces the dooming mystery a little. However, I'm not entirely sure if the prequel will have the same impact on you, reading it before the first book, as it has on me, reading it after I read the first book.

For me this prequel felt like coming home, like reuniting with the characters I've grown to love so much. Seeing them prepare and getting ready for the day that's gonna change their life is like watching old photos with friends. And since I knew what was coming I could also really enjoy the dramatic irony elements.

What I loved most though, is that most of this prequel is about the emotions rushing through the veins of these characters. Anticipation, fear, insecurity, hope, longing, pain and everything in between. Davis has this amazing writing style that really makes me feel everything her characters go through. I'm therefore really excited to read more of her work. And the second book in this series can't come soon enough either!

[Lennie ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated getting a link for a free copy of this after finishing 'The Raven & the Dove'. I love a novella but especially if it's free!

So this was ok but I didn't really gain any more insight into the characters. It felt more like this was the original beginning of the book and then the author decided to change it.

The other thing that, to me, didn't really make sense was the fact that Rafe didn't even know he was going to be taking Xander's place until the day before the trials. Surely they should have been prepping and planning for months prior?

This just felt very odd. Especially as the Queen seemed to have so much riding on the outcome, you'd think she'd want an iron clad plan in place. For all she knew Rafe could have refused. Oh well 🤷‍♀️

[Niki Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly really enjoyed this book. I haven't read anything with avian type people in it before and it caught my interest fast. I have not read the first book of the series yet and wanted to read the prequel first and was not disappointed at all. I feel bad for Rafe so far in the story as he seems willing to do anything for his brother even though he is hated by his own people. With magic hinting around the corner, a mysterious fog covered sea and land, mention of dragons.. I think this is going to be right up my alley.