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The Royal Thieves Trilogy #1
The Raven Thief
Enya has a few very simple goals in life.
Take down a tyrannical king, give her gang a decent life, become the leader of Skeyya's rebellion, and maybe become slightly more rich along the way.
Okay, so maybe those goals aren't so simple. And everything comes at a cost in the capital streets of Arden; King Eamon is after her head, and shadows lurk around every corner, waiting to spill secrets and blood.
After being captured and sentenced to death in the esteemed royal palace, Enya never expected to run into three princes who need her help—and especially not ones thought to be dead for over a decade. An impossible quest is proposed; an ancient evil is rising, and only they can stop it. The Crimson Witch, a faerie demon imprisoned in the Black Lake, along with her undead army of ghouls.
Enya has now found herself caught in a web of darkness and deceit as she guides these princes and her right-hand man, Carson, on a journey to track down the magical artifacts needed to take down the Crimson Witch once and for all.
Love, friendship, and bravery will all be tested. Can three princes and a thief save the world?
Take down a tyrannical king, give her gang a decent life, become the leader of Skeyya's rebellion, and maybe become slightly more rich along the way.
Okay, so maybe those goals aren't so simple. And everything comes at a cost in the capital streets of Arden; King Eamon is after her head, and shadows lurk around every corner, waiting to spill secrets and blood.
After being captured and sentenced to death in the esteemed royal palace, Enya never expected to run into three princes who need her help—and especially not ones thought to be dead for over a decade. An impossible quest is proposed; an ancient evil is rising, and only they can stop it. The Crimson Witch, a faerie demon imprisoned in the Black Lake, along with her undead army of ghouls.
Enya has now found herself caught in a web of darkness and deceit as she guides these princes and her right-hand man, Carson, on a journey to track down the magical artifacts needed to take down the Crimson Witch once and for all.
Love, friendship, and bravery will all be tested. Can three princes and a thief save the world?
Unknown Binding
Published August 21, 2021
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August 13, 2020
The Raven Thief follows Enya as she goes on a quest to find a magical sword to defeat an ancient evil and save the kingdom.
Disclaimer
I was sent this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. My review is my opinion.
Overall opinion
This book was an ok read but it has some definite areas for improvement – however there is so much potential to make this a truly great and epic series. The groundwork is certainly there, but there needs to be work done in order to it to reach its true level.
There is a lot of being on the periphery with the story, world and characters – I don’t feel I know any of them that well.
What I liked…
This has the potential to be a great story and series. There is groundwork for some excellent characters and a story that is really engaging and fun. I enjoyed the some of the later fight scenes, with the Fear Preachta being a highlight.
As a debut novel, this is definitely a strong starting point, and I look forward to seeing where this goes, as the book improved as the story went on in terms of pacing, I can see the series improving as the books go on. However, this book is not without it faults…
What I didn’t like…
I didn’t warm to our main characters, finding them underdeveloped and inconsistent – Enya was definitely a weak point for me in this book and I would have liked to have had more time with her in order to get fully inside her head. Her attitude and behaviour changed from paragraph to paragraph – even about the same situation at times – which really grated with me and was confusing. I didn’t understand a lot of her conclusions and her thought processes a lot of the time (HOW she became a rebel leader when she wouldn’t use the train because “her group were banned from travelling on them” is beyond me). I also think Carson is just as clueless and Rowen only really served to try to build tension (I just ended up hating him). The attempt at a love triangle is subtle but I really hope this doesn’t go anywhere. The rest of the cast are in the background quite a bit (except maybe the other two princes) with the Crimson Witch being severely underused as a villain – I look forward to seeing more of her in the second book.
The world building was equally under developed in places, with the actual setting not being explored in depth and its inhabitants not being explored much either – I also think that the elven courts of Winter, Summer, Spring and Autumn has been used too many times, it’s becoming boring.
In terms of plot, it was an interesting story – however it failed to hide the twist and was therefore fairly predictable. I also think that the final reveal is either completely false (which should be revealed in the second book) or is a huge plot hole which needs to be resolved based on previous information in the book. A lot of the dialogue felt forced and scripted throughout.
The cliffhanger is also a bit unnecessary – and there is no real tension there. It will however be interesting to see how it gets resolved
All in all, if you enjoy fantasy this is a series that may just be right up your street.
Disclaimer
I was sent this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. My review is my opinion.
Overall opinion
This book was an ok read but it has some definite areas for improvement – however there is so much potential to make this a truly great and epic series. The groundwork is certainly there, but there needs to be work done in order to it to reach its true level.
There is a lot of being on the periphery with the story, world and characters – I don’t feel I know any of them that well.
What I liked…
This has the potential to be a great story and series. There is groundwork for some excellent characters and a story that is really engaging and fun. I enjoyed the some of the later fight scenes, with the Fear Preachta being a highlight.
As a debut novel, this is definitely a strong starting point, and I look forward to seeing where this goes, as the book improved as the story went on in terms of pacing, I can see the series improving as the books go on. However, this book is not without it faults…
What I didn’t like…
I didn’t warm to our main characters, finding them underdeveloped and inconsistent – Enya was definitely a weak point for me in this book and I would have liked to have had more time with her in order to get fully inside her head. Her attitude and behaviour changed from paragraph to paragraph – even about the same situation at times – which really grated with me and was confusing. I didn’t understand a lot of her conclusions and her thought processes a lot of the time (HOW she became a rebel leader when she wouldn’t use the train because “her group were banned from travelling on them” is beyond me). I also think Carson is just as clueless and Rowen only really served to try to build tension (I just ended up hating him). The attempt at a love triangle is subtle but I really hope this doesn’t go anywhere. The rest of the cast are in the background quite a bit (except maybe the other two princes) with the Crimson Witch being severely underused as a villain – I look forward to seeing more of her in the second book.
The world building was equally under developed in places, with the actual setting not being explored in depth and its inhabitants not being explored much either – I also think that the elven courts of Winter, Summer, Spring and Autumn has been used too many times, it’s becoming boring.
In terms of plot, it was an interesting story – however it failed to hide the twist and was therefore fairly predictable. I also think that the final reveal is either completely false (which should be revealed in the second book) or is a huge plot hole which needs to be resolved based on previous information in the book. A lot of the dialogue felt forced and scripted throughout.
The cliffhanger is also a bit unnecessary – and there is no real tension there. It will however be interesting to see how it gets resolved
All in all, if you enjoy fantasy this is a series that may just be right up your street.
November 16, 2020
DNF at 44%
Enya is the leader of the Ravens. Three princes have presumed dead for years. However, one day Enya spots them and agree to help them find an item that their stepmom, the Queen seeks. If they cannot find the object, which is a sword, they will be killed.
This book has a great premise and at times the writing seems good. However, I dnfed it because there was a lot of telling instead of showing. I felt like there was a wall up between me and the story. I couldn’t connect with the characters and care for them. I felt really disconnected.
Enya is the leader of the Ravens. Three princes have presumed dead for years. However, one day Enya spots them and agree to help them find an item that their stepmom, the Queen seeks. If they cannot find the object, which is a sword, they will be killed.
This book has a great premise and at times the writing seems good. However, I dnfed it because there was a lot of telling instead of showing. I felt like there was a wall up between me and the story. I couldn’t connect with the characters and care for them. I felt really disconnected.
October 20, 2022
I received this as an e-arc, for an honest review.
With that being said this started out very rough for me. So despite me enjoying this pretty well, I’m of course going to be very forward about what I did and didn’t like. This is a debut indie author and I totally think she deserves the reads, as well as all the opportunities I’ve seen her talk about having (I follow her). I will say however, with her claiming to be an editor herself, I was kinda shocked at how unedited some of this felt. Which makes me think it was only edited for grammar and not anything else, like plot or character development etc. it gets better as it goes though, so I can only hope book #2 is even better.
This follows Enya, who is a leader of a gang called the grims, with her being the raven (sound familiar? Yeah lots of wanna be SOC’s moments. The leader even wears gloves like kaz lol . But I don’t totally hate it). She seems to be running from her past, which she literally can’t seem to remember. With her right hand man Carson, they plan to take down all the terrible royals and the horrible king. But when 3 supposed to be long dead princes show up in need of help to defeat an evil that could be even worse than the king, Enya and Carson , along with those princes have to set out on a quest for magical items that will either help them destroy the evil... or will help the evil destroy them.
I guess we should talk about what I did like first:
I LOVED the quests, the entire atmosphere to them, and how unique they were. Because of how much it was like six of crows I thought it would be the typical heist. But nah, this was straight Indiana Jones type of stuff with traps, puzzles and all the good stuff. They were just so interesting to me for some reason and they’re honestly what made me fall in love.
The way magic is portrayed especially among non magic users is pretty cool, not gonna lie.
The villain and her entire existence is pretty unique. I saw someone complain that she isn’t present at all in the book but I beg to differ. To me she was there pretty obviously the entire time. Even through her minions who were... brutal.
The creatures in here were all super spooky. As was the atmosphere. I know it was fantasy but there was such a creepy underlying feel to a lot of the places our characters went and I was absolutely here for it.
I also think the world building was pretty good, even though I also saw some critiques of that. I thought the visuals and research done to make interesting places (some based on real places) was really cool and interesting. There are also lots of creatures like fae, witches, all that good stuff. Some of the allies are actually fae or witches!
I like both love interests to an extent. I got mad at him for a while, but I’m at the moment, team Carson. I don’t mind if she ends up with Rowan either now that his shell has broken a bit.
I also enjoyed the friendship and companionship that they developed along the way.
Super interested in anders
Now for what I didn’t like:
The characters. They did grow on me. But I do feel like they were all super underdeveloped. Especially the main one. She’s supposed to be this ruthless gang leader... and she just isn’t. At all. Which, is fine. If she owned that she’s a secret cinnamon bun while also being a strong leader then I’d accept it. But that doesn’t happen. It’s not how she’s portrayed. She also has like zero logical decision making skills which I found also strange for a leader. As a matter of fact she has to remind herself that she’s a leader and to be intelligent way too many times. And when she does actually do stuff, it’s stuff she shouldn’t be able to do based on what we saw of her before, and is way too convenient/unrealistic. Same can be said for her second, Carson. The rest of the grims may as well not exist. They’re hardly in it. I know it’s a series so there’s plenty of time to see more of them. But it was kinda odd.
Honestly Enya is just super inconsistent is my main issue. Sometimes she even contradicts her own thoughts and feelings, and it doesn’t seem to be on purpose. Def feels like a writing flaw to me.
The princes are better developed but idk, they still have far to go. Rowan- the snob who is secretly not a snob, beacon- the logical one and Niall- the nervous cupcake! I like them all for what they are and can’t wait to see their layers.
I also found a lot of the scenes super unrealistic. Like they’re a gang, on a secret mission, with bounties on their heads and evil creatures after them, yet they literally tell everyone they come across who they are and what they’re doing lol. Which is bizarre to me and not gang leader like at all. They also literally know something is up with a few of the characters at one point... and chose to ignore it and continue to trust them with certain things until something happens, and then Enya is all like “HA, I know it all along”.... like what girl?
The dialogue was at times super unnatural and awkward, and there was a bit of telling instead of showing sometimes.
But yes, I’m super greatful I got the chance to read this! And I really hope book two comes out soon. Despite the flaws, I can’t help but feel like I’m hooked.
With that being said this started out very rough for me. So despite me enjoying this pretty well, I’m of course going to be very forward about what I did and didn’t like. This is a debut indie author and I totally think she deserves the reads, as well as all the opportunities I’ve seen her talk about having (I follow her). I will say however, with her claiming to be an editor herself, I was kinda shocked at how unedited some of this felt. Which makes me think it was only edited for grammar and not anything else, like plot or character development etc. it gets better as it goes though, so I can only hope book #2 is even better.
This follows Enya, who is a leader of a gang called the grims, with her being the raven (sound familiar? Yeah lots of wanna be SOC’s moments. The leader even wears gloves like kaz lol . But I don’t totally hate it). She seems to be running from her past, which she literally can’t seem to remember. With her right hand man Carson, they plan to take down all the terrible royals and the horrible king. But when 3 supposed to be long dead princes show up in need of help to defeat an evil that could be even worse than the king, Enya and Carson , along with those princes have to set out on a quest for magical items that will either help them destroy the evil... or will help the evil destroy them.
I guess we should talk about what I did like first:
I LOVED the quests, the entire atmosphere to them, and how unique they were. Because of how much it was like six of crows I thought it would be the typical heist. But nah, this was straight Indiana Jones type of stuff with traps, puzzles and all the good stuff. They were just so interesting to me for some reason and they’re honestly what made me fall in love.
The way magic is portrayed especially among non magic users is pretty cool, not gonna lie.
The villain and her entire existence is pretty unique. I saw someone complain that she isn’t present at all in the book but I beg to differ. To me she was there pretty obviously the entire time. Even through her minions who were... brutal.
The creatures in here were all super spooky. As was the atmosphere. I know it was fantasy but there was such a creepy underlying feel to a lot of the places our characters went and I was absolutely here for it.
I also think the world building was pretty good, even though I also saw some critiques of that. I thought the visuals and research done to make interesting places (some based on real places) was really cool and interesting. There are also lots of creatures like fae, witches, all that good stuff. Some of the allies are actually fae or witches!
I like both love interests to an extent. I got mad at him for a while, but I’m at the moment, team Carson. I don’t mind if she ends up with Rowan either now that his shell has broken a bit.
I also enjoyed the friendship and companionship that they developed along the way.
Super interested in anders
Now for what I didn’t like:
The characters. They did grow on me. But I do feel like they were all super underdeveloped. Especially the main one. She’s supposed to be this ruthless gang leader... and she just isn’t. At all. Which, is fine. If she owned that she’s a secret cinnamon bun while also being a strong leader then I’d accept it. But that doesn’t happen. It’s not how she’s portrayed. She also has like zero logical decision making skills which I found also strange for a leader. As a matter of fact she has to remind herself that she’s a leader and to be intelligent way too many times. And when she does actually do stuff, it’s stuff she shouldn’t be able to do based on what we saw of her before, and is way too convenient/unrealistic. Same can be said for her second, Carson. The rest of the grims may as well not exist. They’re hardly in it. I know it’s a series so there’s plenty of time to see more of them. But it was kinda odd.
Honestly Enya is just super inconsistent is my main issue. Sometimes she even contradicts her own thoughts and feelings, and it doesn’t seem to be on purpose. Def feels like a writing flaw to me.
The princes are better developed but idk, they still have far to go. Rowan- the snob who is secretly not a snob, beacon- the logical one and Niall- the nervous cupcake! I like them all for what they are and can’t wait to see their layers.
I also found a lot of the scenes super unrealistic. Like they’re a gang, on a secret mission, with bounties on their heads and evil creatures after them, yet they literally tell everyone they come across who they are and what they’re doing lol. Which is bizarre to me and not gang leader like at all. They also literally know something is up with a few of the characters at one point... and chose to ignore it and continue to trust them with certain things until something happens, and then Enya is all like “HA, I know it all along”.... like what girl?
The dialogue was at times super unnatural and awkward, and there was a bit of telling instead of showing sometimes.
But yes, I’m super greatful I got the chance to read this! And I really hope book two comes out soon. Despite the flaws, I can’t help but feel like I’m hooked.
April 26, 2023
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via the author.
The Raven Thief is the first book in a new series, and although it started out a bit rocky for me, I soon grew to enjoy it. The pace is pretty fast, and the story is plot driven. The book follows three princes and their companion, Enya, who are on a quest to save the world. I loved Enyas' character the most and definitely got six of crows vibes from this book. Enya was the main character and is at odds with herself, chopping and changing what she wants and what she thinks she wants. She's a floored character, which is always a win for me, especially in fantasy novels. The princes were all interesting in their own unique ways, and I loved the fae and witch allies and well researched and described settings the book takes place across. As a debut this is a promising start, and I can't wait to start book 2 soon.
The Raven Thief is the first book in a new series, and although it started out a bit rocky for me, I soon grew to enjoy it. The pace is pretty fast, and the story is plot driven. The book follows three princes and their companion, Enya, who are on a quest to save the world. I loved Enyas' character the most and definitely got six of crows vibes from this book. Enya was the main character and is at odds with herself, chopping and changing what she wants and what she thinks she wants. She's a floored character, which is always a win for me, especially in fantasy novels. The princes were all interesting in their own unique ways, and I loved the fae and witch allies and well researched and described settings the book takes place across. As a debut this is a promising start, and I can't wait to start book 2 soon.
August 12, 2021
4 stars
This was a really good fantasy debut novel!
It kind of gave me Six of Crows vibes and it was a wild ride from the start to the end!
This was a really good fantasy debut novel!
It kind of gave me Six of Crows vibes and it was a wild ride from the start to the end!
July 20, 2021
Loved that the book started with so much action. I even felt the eeriness from the silence as Enya and Carson walked in the beginning. Also, love a badass female MC and this gave me all those vibes as soon as the book started. The book was never terrible I just didn’t get into it right away. It had its strong points which kept me going which I’m super thankful for because once their journey really started, I couldn’t put the book down. It was so good! The action was constant. The pain and secrets that Enya had to hold onto were enough to push anyone over the edge but she stayed strong for everyone and pushed through. I did not see the situation between Enya and The Crimson Witch playing out that way at all but ✨WOW✨ what a shock! I need book two now because the cliffhanger ending has been driving me crazy since I’ve finished the book 🙈😩
July 25, 2021
Not sure if I can put a review since I'm a beta reader but I'm going to do it anyway lol. Thank you Ashley for providing me with a copy.
So, OMG the book the plot amazing. I was not expecting it and when I got to the point I was like WHAAAAAAT? I wouldn't think of that, perhaps for some it was predictable but for me it was not.
It was a fast read which I recently come to enjoy more. And let me tell you that I like a strong MC, man it is just so good, I mean it is said she is 17 but it doesn't feel like it. Yeah she had to grow up faster but I think otherwise she would be a whiny person and damn I hate that.
So, I totally recommend the book. Once it is out go grab yours.
So, OMG the book the plot amazing. I was not expecting it and when I got to the point I was like WHAAAAAAT? I wouldn't think of that, perhaps for some it was predictable but for me it was not.
It was a fast read which I recently come to enjoy more. And let me tell you that I like a strong MC, man it is just so good, I mean it is said she is 17 but it doesn't feel like it. Yeah she had to grow up faster but I think otherwise she would be a whiny person and damn I hate that.
So, I totally recommend the book. Once it is out go grab yours.
July 24, 2021
I loved this book so much I am looking forward to reading more when the next book comes out. I loved all of the characters so much but I especially loved Enya the most she is the kind of MC I love strong on the outside who is so mixed up and complicated on the inside. The other characters are interesting as well the princes are unique in their own ways I liked most of them they were well written. I really liked the plot it started out with Enya and Carson getting caught and it led to a quest that revealed many things that were buried deep down. So overall I loved this book will be reading more of the series when more of it is out.
August 27, 2021
This was the ultimate adventure story! This is definitely a plot driven tale about 3 princes and their old friend Enya going on an adventure to save the world.
Enya, the main character, is our classic sassy lady. She really struggle s with her feelings and emotions. She’s constantly back and forth with what she thinks she wants which could be frustrating at times.
Anyone who likes Sarah J Maas or The Wheel of Time series will absolutely adore this book. I definitely think it reads more like an adult fantasy. The writing is beautiful and written in a way that you can clearly visualize everything in your head.
Enya, the main character, is our classic sassy lady. She really struggle s with her feelings and emotions. She’s constantly back and forth with what she thinks she wants which could be frustrating at times.
Anyone who likes Sarah J Maas or The Wheel of Time series will absolutely adore this book. I definitely think it reads more like an adult fantasy. The writing is beautiful and written in a way that you can clearly visualize everything in your head.
June 23, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book and I loved the storyline. It was a good book and I enjoyed the storyline. It was a great story.
September 1, 2021
Someone once told me the difference between third person and first person was that first person writers are all about themselves and like to talk about themselves. A first person novel makes the main character the star, a third person novel shows a broader range. If that is the case, then this is a deceptively third person novel- because it reads like it’s first person, not in written style but in attitude. I almost wish it had been written in first person, as I believe that might have suited it better.
After seeing the marketing for this novel, I was thoroughly excited for it, my expectations high, and I’m sorry to say I’ve been substantially let down. Though there is quality in writing, in format, in editing and design, and certainly quality in marketing strategy, there is definitely something lacking in story and characters.
As I set out to read this book, I loved the idea of it- a thief and three princes against all odds. But what struck me immediately was that this was not a relatable tale of a struggling young girl- it’s the tale of bravado and grandstanding, a 17 year old girl who is infallible. The first chapter alone choked me with Enya’s inner attitude, her “stick it to the man” response to things. What is strange to me is that, for all the remarks on Enya’s viewpoint of the world, of her defiance and arrogant rejection of the government, is that she is surprisingly lacking in character. When I start a book, I look for a solid set up to the characters- and Enya, to me, was a blank slate, another first person narrative in this wrongly third person book. In fact, the first few chapters lack any physical description of Enya, besides her furrowing eyebrows, and ham-fisted pieces of her attitude towards the world. I wanted to be able to picture her, to feel her emotions, but instead I found myself caught up in thinking how unfitting she was. She not only acted stoic and fearless towards other characters- she was written as stoic and fearless, giving little to no insight into real human emotion and making her up as a heroic Mary Sue, a copy and pasted hero. What I look for in a hero isn’t a little girl playing the big baddie- it’s a relatable young woman, just trying to survive, and that isn’t who Enya is. She is played up, exaggerated, and painted in such a way that made me immediately dislike her as a character, leaving me not wanting to read past chapter one. Even when she was described as scared- I felt like the emotions were told, instead of having real impact.
But read on, I did. Bits of Enya’s past began to be shoved into the reader’s face, more information being fed to us in all the wrong places. Instead of being skillfully woven in, these tidbits of her hateful, ‘courageous’ attitude and the reasons for it, were incredibly jarring amidst the, once again, ham-fisted movement of the story. I have to say, it even came across as inconsistent and unbelievable at times- and not unbelievable as in “fantasy” but unbelievable as in “people don’t act this way”, or “this would never happen even in a fantasy setting”. Even side characters were jarring, such as a mention of a pub owner we barely see being described as a hopeless romantic with his romantic “flavor of the week”. I found myself wondering why our time was being wasted with a mention like that, as it added nothing to the story but to give Enya an inner monologue on something other than herself. This was not the only time Enya’s thoughts on something seemed randomly interjected, and unimportant to what was happening.
I found almost all the characters to be lackluster and uninteresting- and even, sometimes, completely forgettable. Such as when the princes were introduced, whom you might think are main characters. Only, several pages after their introduction, I realized the only one that really mattered was Rowan. Niall was left as a reminder of Enya’s youth, and I don't think Beacon had much presence at all besides a few conversation points- so much so that I forgot this was a book about three princes, and not a book about Rowan, who also happens to be one of the most unlikable characters in this book. Though perhaps, this just happened because he was the one with the most attitude, and the character development doesn’t go past that.
I also found that the romantic undertones were cheesy and immature, lacking any real chemistry besides a school girl crush, and the fantasy elements of the world were often poorly explained or simply uninteresting. The plot itself soon became lacking, and the villain was downright a shame.
This novel tries very hard to be witty, sarcastic, and relatable- but it comes off as campy, and boring. The characters come off as one dimensional and unsophisticated, the plot moving generically along, hitting all the beats of a story with none of the impact. It felt like a bad soap opera at times, emotions told and not shown, a very amateur and almost fanfiction-like feel to what I wanted to be so much better. Lacking in flavor, often written with poor pacing- descriptions put in the middle of action scenes, for instance, cutting the reader off from getting into what is happening in order to describe unimportant secondary characters. Meanwhile, the main character Enya is thoroughly un-described, something that bothered me throughout the novel.
Reading this novel, to me, was a bit heartbreaking. I’ve followed all the social media on this novel for weeks, since before it was published, and I so wanted to see it be amazing. I idolized the author, who is well put together and successful at the marketing side of her craft, and hoped only the best for her novel, which wowed with intricate photos and careful reveals. Yet, I ultimately found it hard to even make it through this book, and currently do not plan on buying any sequel. Not because of the writing- because I do believe Miss Olivier will continue to improve her craft- but because I didn’t enjoy the characters, setting, or plot as much as I hoped that I would.
Overall, I wish as much time had been put into the writing as had been put into the marketing. Between the poor characters and storytelling, and the hype it had to live up to, I have to give this a poor rating. The only thing stopping me from giving it one star, is the amount of work that has been done on the world map, cover, formatting, and artworks, as well as the fact it is well edited. If the technicality had been as bad as the writing itself, this would be a one star read for me.
My personal opinion? A good novel is always good because of the characters. You can have an amazing plot, but if the characters are dislikable, it will go nowhere. Meanwhile, you can have a sucky plot, and if you have wonderful characters, often people still like the novel. I feel like if more attention had been paid to the emotional depth of these characters, and if Enya had been a little more adapted beyond a hatred for the royalty, this novel would have been a solid three or four stars.
After seeing the marketing for this novel, I was thoroughly excited for it, my expectations high, and I’m sorry to say I’ve been substantially let down. Though there is quality in writing, in format, in editing and design, and certainly quality in marketing strategy, there is definitely something lacking in story and characters.
As I set out to read this book, I loved the idea of it- a thief and three princes against all odds. But what struck me immediately was that this was not a relatable tale of a struggling young girl- it’s the tale of bravado and grandstanding, a 17 year old girl who is infallible. The first chapter alone choked me with Enya’s inner attitude, her “stick it to the man” response to things. What is strange to me is that, for all the remarks on Enya’s viewpoint of the world, of her defiance and arrogant rejection of the government, is that she is surprisingly lacking in character. When I start a book, I look for a solid set up to the characters- and Enya, to me, was a blank slate, another first person narrative in this wrongly third person book. In fact, the first few chapters lack any physical description of Enya, besides her furrowing eyebrows, and ham-fisted pieces of her attitude towards the world. I wanted to be able to picture her, to feel her emotions, but instead I found myself caught up in thinking how unfitting she was. She not only acted stoic and fearless towards other characters- she was written as stoic and fearless, giving little to no insight into real human emotion and making her up as a heroic Mary Sue, a copy and pasted hero. What I look for in a hero isn’t a little girl playing the big baddie- it’s a relatable young woman, just trying to survive, and that isn’t who Enya is. She is played up, exaggerated, and painted in such a way that made me immediately dislike her as a character, leaving me not wanting to read past chapter one. Even when she was described as scared- I felt like the emotions were told, instead of having real impact.
But read on, I did. Bits of Enya’s past began to be shoved into the reader’s face, more information being fed to us in all the wrong places. Instead of being skillfully woven in, these tidbits of her hateful, ‘courageous’ attitude and the reasons for it, were incredibly jarring amidst the, once again, ham-fisted movement of the story. I have to say, it even came across as inconsistent and unbelievable at times- and not unbelievable as in “fantasy” but unbelievable as in “people don’t act this way”, or “this would never happen even in a fantasy setting”. Even side characters were jarring, such as a mention of a pub owner we barely see being described as a hopeless romantic with his romantic “flavor of the week”. I found myself wondering why our time was being wasted with a mention like that, as it added nothing to the story but to give Enya an inner monologue on something other than herself. This was not the only time Enya’s thoughts on something seemed randomly interjected, and unimportant to what was happening.
I found almost all the characters to be lackluster and uninteresting- and even, sometimes, completely forgettable. Such as when the princes were introduced, whom you might think are main characters. Only, several pages after their introduction, I realized the only one that really mattered was Rowan. Niall was left as a reminder of Enya’s youth, and I don't think Beacon had much presence at all besides a few conversation points- so much so that I forgot this was a book about three princes, and not a book about Rowan, who also happens to be one of the most unlikable characters in this book. Though perhaps, this just happened because he was the one with the most attitude, and the character development doesn’t go past that.
I also found that the romantic undertones were cheesy and immature, lacking any real chemistry besides a school girl crush, and the fantasy elements of the world were often poorly explained or simply uninteresting. The plot itself soon became lacking, and the villain was downright a shame.
This novel tries very hard to be witty, sarcastic, and relatable- but it comes off as campy, and boring. The characters come off as one dimensional and unsophisticated, the plot moving generically along, hitting all the beats of a story with none of the impact. It felt like a bad soap opera at times, emotions told and not shown, a very amateur and almost fanfiction-like feel to what I wanted to be so much better. Lacking in flavor, often written with poor pacing- descriptions put in the middle of action scenes, for instance, cutting the reader off from getting into what is happening in order to describe unimportant secondary characters. Meanwhile, the main character Enya is thoroughly un-described, something that bothered me throughout the novel.
Reading this novel, to me, was a bit heartbreaking. I’ve followed all the social media on this novel for weeks, since before it was published, and I so wanted to see it be amazing. I idolized the author, who is well put together and successful at the marketing side of her craft, and hoped only the best for her novel, which wowed with intricate photos and careful reveals. Yet, I ultimately found it hard to even make it through this book, and currently do not plan on buying any sequel. Not because of the writing- because I do believe Miss Olivier will continue to improve her craft- but because I didn’t enjoy the characters, setting, or plot as much as I hoped that I would.
Overall, I wish as much time had been put into the writing as had been put into the marketing. Between the poor characters and storytelling, and the hype it had to live up to, I have to give this a poor rating. The only thing stopping me from giving it one star, is the amount of work that has been done on the world map, cover, formatting, and artworks, as well as the fact it is well edited. If the technicality had been as bad as the writing itself, this would be a one star read for me.
My personal opinion? A good novel is always good because of the characters. You can have an amazing plot, but if the characters are dislikable, it will go nowhere. Meanwhile, you can have a sucky plot, and if you have wonderful characters, often people still like the novel. I feel like if more attention had been paid to the emotional depth of these characters, and if Enya had been a little more adapted beyond a hatred for the royalty, this novel would have been a solid three or four stars.
August 19, 2020
"You'd never know how easily a heart could be tricked."
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and I wasn't disappointed. Set in a fantasy world, it features a quest, princes, outlaws and monsters, which in my opinion guarantees that it's going to be amazing!!
The plot follows Enya, the leader of a small gang of rebels who run the streets of Arden. She is like a female Robin Hood but she soon finds herself sentenced to death by the tyrannical king. As she and her second-in-command flee, they encounter the three princes and an agreement is struck: Enya will help the brothers find the Sword of Bas, and will be paid handsomely for doing so.
I loved Enya as a character. She was strong, fierce and snarky. She was also a great leader, often allocating herself the more dangerous tasks, rather than asking someone else to. Despite magic being present in the story, Enya did not seem to possess any, which made her more of an underdog and a lot more relatable. I adored the friendship and trust between her and Carson. The scenes where one knew exactly what the other was thinking were so cute and showed how long the two had depended on each other. His loyalty was absolute, despite the tension which arose between them and I think as partners, they were perfect.
Arden reminded me of a city from the Industrial Revolution. I liked the similarities with history and Carson having been rescued from a linen mill. The fact that the Grims used pistols was refreshing for a fantasy novel and the fight scenes were exciting to read. The action started from Chapter 1 and didn't let up the whole way through.
However, I would have liked to read more about the background of the rebels. Also, I was slightly confused when Farrell trusted Enya and Carson right away with the princes' lives, despite him being a decorated captain. I would have thought he'd be adamant on accompanying them to ensure their safety? I was also slightly confused about whether the Wraiths were part of the rebels or not.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and I'm impressed that it was a debut. I would definitely recommend to other avid fantasy readers.
June 30, 2020
A magickal misadventure filled with creatures, corruption, and creativity.
Debut author Ashley Olivier brings the world of the Grims to life with fantastic mythological elements to captivate you and draw you into a story of royal intrigue, mystery, and a clever twist on the hero's journey. Fans of J.K Rowling and Percy Jackson will find common elements they enjoy within these pages, from new fantasy creatures and worlds to delve into, to a new cast of rag-tag would-be heroes to root for.
I generally prefer paranormal romance, but found myself immersed in the pages, willing to let The Raven guide me on her quest of peril as she struggled to protect herself and her friends. The twists and turns were well thought out, and though there was more focus on our heroes, I do wish we spent more time on the villain as well. As this is book one, I'm hoping to see more of the Crimson Witch, delve into her motivations, and see just how desperate and evil she will become to achieve her aims.
Overall, a thoroughly entertaining read, one that kept me thumbing the pages as I waited to find out whether our hapless group made it through each new peril they found themselves in.
Always keep moving.
Debut author Ashley Olivier brings the world of the Grims to life with fantastic mythological elements to captivate you and draw you into a story of royal intrigue, mystery, and a clever twist on the hero's journey. Fans of J.K Rowling and Percy Jackson will find common elements they enjoy within these pages, from new fantasy creatures and worlds to delve into, to a new cast of rag-tag would-be heroes to root for.
I generally prefer paranormal romance, but found myself immersed in the pages, willing to let The Raven guide me on her quest of peril as she struggled to protect herself and her friends. The twists and turns were well thought out, and though there was more focus on our heroes, I do wish we spent more time on the villain as well. As this is book one, I'm hoping to see more of the Crimson Witch, delve into her motivations, and see just how desperate and evil she will become to achieve her aims.
Overall, a thoroughly entertaining read, one that kept me thumbing the pages as I waited to find out whether our hapless group made it through each new peril they found themselves in.
Always keep moving.
July 7, 2020
The shadows of our pasts haunt us all, whether we know it or not. Such is the premise of Ashley Olivier’s The Raven Thief, a delightful YA fantasy that reminds us of such shadows, but also makes the journey of discovery enjoyable. At least, I found it throughly entertaining to read over the weekend.
1. Thoughts on the plot
This book follows the adventures of Enya, the Raven Thief and leader of the Grims street gang as she tries to run from the palace, against whom she has been rebelling. This leads her into an adventure with three not-so-dead “dead” princes, who have been set a task to find a magical sword. This task takes Enya, her second in command Carson, and the three princes on an adventure to unbury secrets of a dark, magical, and dangerous past.
Overall, the plot is a good one. There are enough things going on that we never grow bored, but the characters also have enough down time in order for us to process the events right along with them. The events are interesting and the way that they all link together is quite entertaining.
2. Thoughts on the main character
I like Enya. I think she’s snarky enough to take on the burdens of the rebellion herself, but smart enough to know she needs friends. But I also like the way that she has been portrayed, with the traumas of her past having been forgotten by Enya as a defence mechanism against said trauma. I think that this is a far more common means of moving past difficulty than people often expect, and this doesn’t often show up in books where the MC has a tragic backstory. The way that this was done was perhaps a little strong, given that most people don’t think about having forgotten the difficult times simply because they have been forgotten. However, Enya’s past with the royal family, for whom she worked, is intricately linked with her current circumstances and the story’s events as she works with the princes, so that does make sense.
Also, her relationship with Carson is truly adorable to read.
3. Favourite part
Carson is probably my favourite, well, character if not event. He is unswervingly loyal, and his feelings for Enya are both annoyingly subtle and too obvious. As a character goes, he supports Enya’s role perfectly and later on in the book makes for great intrigue. And that ending!
4. Critique
My only critique is that some of the worldbuilding—primarily at the beginning—is a bit too obvious. This is mostly done in the way that Enya muses about the world around her, which is perfectly acceptable. The only problem is that some of these musings fall in between moments of intense action, where something happens that require an immediate reaction that is then interrupted with these moments of worldbuilding. The action Enya takes appears after these moments, but it also supposedly the immediate reaction required, which can bet a bit jarring because of the lag. However, this doesn’t happen but two or three times and mostly at the beginning, so it really doesn’t impact my impression of the book much.
I would say that The Raven Thief is a delightful YA fantasy with characters who are interesting and even fun to read, a challenge of increasingly desperate proportions to overcome, and an ending that leaves you eager for the next book—in a good way. This book is very good.
1. Thoughts on the plot
This book follows the adventures of Enya, the Raven Thief and leader of the Grims street gang as she tries to run from the palace, against whom she has been rebelling. This leads her into an adventure with three not-so-dead “dead” princes, who have been set a task to find a magical sword. This task takes Enya, her second in command Carson, and the three princes on an adventure to unbury secrets of a dark, magical, and dangerous past.
Overall, the plot is a good one. There are enough things going on that we never grow bored, but the characters also have enough down time in order for us to process the events right along with them. The events are interesting and the way that they all link together is quite entertaining.
2. Thoughts on the main character
I like Enya. I think she’s snarky enough to take on the burdens of the rebellion herself, but smart enough to know she needs friends. But I also like the way that she has been portrayed, with the traumas of her past having been forgotten by Enya as a defence mechanism against said trauma. I think that this is a far more common means of moving past difficulty than people often expect, and this doesn’t often show up in books where the MC has a tragic backstory. The way that this was done was perhaps a little strong, given that most people don’t think about having forgotten the difficult times simply because they have been forgotten. However, Enya’s past with the royal family, for whom she worked, is intricately linked with her current circumstances and the story’s events as she works with the princes, so that does make sense.
Also, her relationship with Carson is truly adorable to read.
3. Favourite part
Carson is probably my favourite, well, character if not event. He is unswervingly loyal, and his feelings for Enya are both annoyingly subtle and too obvious. As a character goes, he supports Enya’s role perfectly and later on in the book makes for great intrigue. And that ending!
4. Critique
My only critique is that some of the worldbuilding—primarily at the beginning—is a bit too obvious. This is mostly done in the way that Enya muses about the world around her, which is perfectly acceptable. The only problem is that some of these musings fall in between moments of intense action, where something happens that require an immediate reaction that is then interrupted with these moments of worldbuilding. The action Enya takes appears after these moments, but it also supposedly the immediate reaction required, which can bet a bit jarring because of the lag. However, this doesn’t happen but two or three times and mostly at the beginning, so it really doesn’t impact my impression of the book much.
I would say that The Raven Thief is a delightful YA fantasy with characters who are interesting and even fun to read, a challenge of increasingly desperate proportions to overcome, and an ending that leaves you eager for the next book—in a good way. This book is very good.
September 4, 2020
*I received an ARC ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly this book surprised me! The opening page drew me in with Enya’s internal monologue, but I did have a slight issue with the slight lack of descriptions. I personally prefer to have a stronger description when it comes to world building. This doesn’t say that it was subpar at all though! It’s just my own personal preference and considering it is YA, it actually is done well.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and being able to experience their growth along with them. About half way through the book, I was hooked and I had to know what was going to happen. The internal and external conflict throughout the book, brought to life so many different emotions. The secrets exposed were mind blowing and the tension was killer.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy, action, and adventure, and I’d give it a 4.5!
Honestly this book surprised me! The opening page drew me in with Enya’s internal monologue, but I did have a slight issue with the slight lack of descriptions. I personally prefer to have a stronger description when it comes to world building. This doesn’t say that it was subpar at all though! It’s just my own personal preference and considering it is YA, it actually is done well.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and being able to experience their growth along with them. About half way through the book, I was hooked and I had to know what was going to happen. The internal and external conflict throughout the book, brought to life so many different emotions. The secrets exposed were mind blowing and the tension was killer.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy, action, and adventure, and I’d give it a 4.5!
September 2, 2020
*I recieved an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I rather enjoyed this the characters in the book. It was easy to connect to them and we could also see a bit into their personalities and who they are(or aren't 👀). Book 2 can't be here soon enough! This world is captivating.
I rather enjoyed this the characters in the book. It was easy to connect to them and we could also see a bit into their personalities and who they are(or aren't 👀). Book 2 can't be here soon enough! This world is captivating.
February 19, 2021
Super interesting page turner!
3.7 stars
3.7 stars
August 5, 2021
Nice, quick fantasy read that gave me Six of Crows vibes, but with more magical things. I really enjoyed it and I'm thankful for the fact that I got to read an advanced copy of this book, courtesy of the author.
Being Romanian, I loved the fact that some things were inspired by Romanian culture such as names, places and Zodiac signs. I squealed a little when I saw these things, because not so many people know about this small, but beautiful country.
Love the characters, especially the Raven (I am secretly rooting for her and Rowan, that would make an amazing friends to *kinda enemies* to lovers story, wouldn't it??).
Can't wait to see what the next book in this series will bring!
Being Romanian, I loved the fact that some things were inspired by Romanian culture such as names, places and Zodiac signs. I squealed a little when I saw these things, because not so many people know about this small, but beautiful country.
Love the characters, especially the Raven (I am secretly rooting for her and Rowan, that would make an amazing friends to *kinda enemies* to lovers story, wouldn't it??).
Can't wait to see what the next book in this series will bring!
August 5, 2021
This was such a fun YA fantasy read! Enjoyed reading the story and following the characters on their adventure. Excited to see where this series goes! A great, magical world to explore.
August 26, 2021
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review
I liked reading this book. I was sucked in by the first few pages especially since we went right into action. However, as the book progresses there were some parts that irked me about the characters.
I liked Enya well enough but it grew tiresome for me that she keeps repeating over and over how she doesn't know that feeling she gets when interacting with her friend. Obviously, they're attracted to each other and want to become more than friends but she's in denial. I get that she's hesitant about it but it irked me that at almost every interaction with the friend, especially at the first half, she would describe how 'confused' or 'conflicted' she's feeling that it somewhat became repetitive. But of course Enya's story doesn't revolve just around boys. I liked that she's kind and heavily considers the common people's interest before acting. She's a leader respected by her people because she cares.
I actually quite liked reading it and would read the next ones in the series.
I liked reading this book. I was sucked in by the first few pages especially since we went right into action. However, as the book progresses there were some parts that irked me about the characters.
I liked Enya well enough but it grew tiresome for me that she keeps repeating over and over how she doesn't know that feeling she gets when interacting with her friend. Obviously, they're attracted to each other and want to become more than friends but she's in denial. I get that she's hesitant about it but it irked me that at almost every interaction with the friend, especially at the first half, she would describe how 'confused' or 'conflicted' she's feeling that it somewhat became repetitive. But of course Enya's story doesn't revolve just around boys. I liked that she's kind and heavily considers the common people's interest before acting. She's a leader respected by her people because she cares.
I actually quite liked reading it and would read the next ones in the series.
July 24, 2021
**I received an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Minor spoilers ahead**
The Raven Thief is a fast-paced and magical start to what’s sure to be a sensational trilogy! This is a tale full of action, angst, and drama with dashes of humor and romance thrown in. Quite a fun mix and I’m so excited for book 2! Now, my breakdown of what I liked and what needs improvement:
💕Loves: I really enjoyed the world-building. It’s a fantasy/steampunk-esque blend. It’s super interesting and I would love to learn more about the fae and Creatures. Lots of potential here and so much can be built on. Really digging it and I want a deeper look in book 2!
-The characters are also a fantastic group. They all work with and play off of each other really well. Their interactions range from humorous and heartfelt and only grow throughout the adventure.
-Strong women!! 💪🏼 I mean seriously! The ladies in this story are fierce, determined, and lead with ferocity and wits. Whether it’s Enya or Doina or The Witch herself, they’re all awesome characters. Kudos to Olivier for creating complex women we can root for, love it!👏🏻
-Fast pacing and quite a cliffhanger!! I mean, Book 2 where are you?!? 😱😱😱Anyways, if you’re looking for something brimming with action and twists PICK. THIS. UP. Really good as an in-between read and you’ll be reading late into the night, even when you have crap you *have* to get done. I’m serious. I lost sleep flying through this one. 😅
Now. My complaints are very few, honestly, and I really feel that book 2 can improve and build on these. What could be improved, in my opinion:
-More depth to the world-building. As I said, the building here is a really neat combo, I’d just like to see it explored further. How did the king come to rule? What other religions/goddesses are practiced and worshipped in this world? What is the political climate like? What types of Creatures/fae are there? We’ve seen many: phookas, fairies, witches, Morrigan, etc. What else is there? The book has more of a soft magic system though, so if mystical, hazy, and dreamy reads are your thing, this may not bother you in the slightest. 🤗
-Less romance, more honesty and action. Overall, the romance didn’t take over, but there were times when I feel it was a bit distracting and our protagonist should’ve been more focused on the tasks at hand. Just a little less of that angst and it would’ve been even better! 😁
-More confrontation! This isn’t so much a critique as a hope for the next installment. I felt our group got away too easy sometimes. There was a lot of running and not enough fighting. I wanted to really buy that they were fighting for their lives, not just running from one problem to the next. Again, not too bad, but I’d love to see the battles get more intense and have more close calls when the group interacting with enemies. I’d also love to see the puzzles become more complex and detailed. Keep us guessing! 👀
📚Overall: I throughly enjoyed The Raven Thief. I would absolutely recommend this if you enjoy:
•Strong characters
•Breakneck paced plots. So much happens within these pages, I’m still shocked!
•Ragtag groups. (The circumstances are somewhat forced on our crew, but I love the humor and friendship that grows throughout this misadventure.)
•Chilling, alluring villains
•Exciting fantasy/steampunk mixes. With the dashes of magic and technology, I would also recommend this to those who are new to the fantasy genre.
Truly, a very solid and gripping adventure that I’m happy to have read through. Having read this twice, I also really loved the revised sections and the added depth in both character development and worldbuilding. Olivier is a talented writer and this is a very promising debut. I’m so excited to read more from her and can’t wait to see what awaits us in book 2!
The Raven Thief is a fast-paced and magical start to what’s sure to be a sensational trilogy! This is a tale full of action, angst, and drama with dashes of humor and romance thrown in. Quite a fun mix and I’m so excited for book 2! Now, my breakdown of what I liked and what needs improvement:
💕Loves: I really enjoyed the world-building. It’s a fantasy/steampunk-esque blend. It’s super interesting and I would love to learn more about the fae and Creatures. Lots of potential here and so much can be built on. Really digging it and I want a deeper look in book 2!
-The characters are also a fantastic group. They all work with and play off of each other really well. Their interactions range from humorous and heartfelt and only grow throughout the adventure.
-Strong women!! 💪🏼 I mean seriously! The ladies in this story are fierce, determined, and lead with ferocity and wits. Whether it’s Enya or Doina or The Witch herself, they’re all awesome characters. Kudos to Olivier for creating complex women we can root for, love it!👏🏻
-Fast pacing and quite a cliffhanger!! I mean, Book 2 where are you?!? 😱😱😱Anyways, if you’re looking for something brimming with action and twists PICK. THIS. UP. Really good as an in-between read and you’ll be reading late into the night, even when you have crap you *have* to get done. I’m serious. I lost sleep flying through this one. 😅
Now. My complaints are very few, honestly, and I really feel that book 2 can improve and build on these. What could be improved, in my opinion:
-More depth to the world-building. As I said, the building here is a really neat combo, I’d just like to see it explored further. How did the king come to rule? What other religions/goddesses are practiced and worshipped in this world? What is the political climate like? What types of Creatures/fae are there? We’ve seen many: phookas, fairies, witches, Morrigan, etc. What else is there? The book has more of a soft magic system though, so if mystical, hazy, and dreamy reads are your thing, this may not bother you in the slightest. 🤗
-Less romance, more honesty and action. Overall, the romance didn’t take over, but there were times when I feel it was a bit distracting and our protagonist should’ve been more focused on the tasks at hand. Just a little less of that angst and it would’ve been even better! 😁
-More confrontation! This isn’t so much a critique as a hope for the next installment. I felt our group got away too easy sometimes. There was a lot of running and not enough fighting. I wanted to really buy that they were fighting for their lives, not just running from one problem to the next. Again, not too bad, but I’d love to see the battles get more intense and have more close calls when the group interacting with enemies. I’d also love to see the puzzles become more complex and detailed. Keep us guessing! 👀
📚Overall: I throughly enjoyed The Raven Thief. I would absolutely recommend this if you enjoy:
•Strong characters
•Breakneck paced plots. So much happens within these pages, I’m still shocked!
•Ragtag groups. (The circumstances are somewhat forced on our crew, but I love the humor and friendship that grows throughout this misadventure.)
•Chilling, alluring villains
•Exciting fantasy/steampunk mixes. With the dashes of magic and technology, I would also recommend this to those who are new to the fantasy genre.
Truly, a very solid and gripping adventure that I’m happy to have read through. Having read this twice, I also really loved the revised sections and the added depth in both character development and worldbuilding. Olivier is a talented writer and this is a very promising debut. I’m so excited to read more from her and can’t wait to see what awaits us in book 2!
August 19, 2020
3.5*
First, I'd want to thank the author for this ARC. Here is my honest and unbiased review.
If you're looking for a quick read with a fresh new look on fantasy and industrial setting, definitely check this book out!
Okay, so I liked the story and plot of this book. It was fast-paced and fun at the beginning, and I just couldn't stop reading. Starting with such an epic first few chapters and introducing everything was such a great idea. But I think everything slowed down from there and I don't think anything developed as the story went on. I don't believe there was a lot of world-building or even an explanation of the politics that everyone was so against. It's not enough just to say if there's a tyrannical king, you have to show it to you.
I think that these characters were fully developed people with motivation and goals that they need to see finished one minute, then next, they were flat characters with one defining characteristic and nothing. I think the way that the three brothers are referred to as the Princes by almost everyone throughout the whole book made them a group, not individual people. You only had any development when one of the brothers was alone with someone else. I think that Carson started as an interesting character. I really enjoyed his friendship with Enaya, and I really wanted to see where everything was going, but somewhere about halfway through the book, I think he just changed a lot, and I didn't care for his character as much. I think Enaya was super interesting. She was very human and very normal in a sense. She was a badass, yes, but she wasn't invincible. She wasn't unstoppable. She had her problems, and she was realistic; she was human. At some points, almost too much so. I found myself getting annoyed with how often she thought the same thing to herself. Of how often she was like, oh no, what's going on? I don't know what to do? It was interesting once or twice, but it happened so often that I was like okay I get it I don't care.
Overall I thought that the setting was excellent. It reminded me of the fable series, an industrial setting. It was a nice mix of industrialization, magic, fairies, and an epic adventure. I think this is a fresh take on the fantasy genre. So different from the high fancy of a medieval based world with little to no technology. I like the idea of fantasy with a king and a queen in the kingdom surrounded by humans and non-humans, yet there are trains and guns and just more technology mixed with magic.
For a debut novel from this author, I think this book did very well. I do believe it could have gone through one or two more rounds of editing. At some point, somethings just didn't seem to match up to me. There seem to be a few inconsistencies. Some things were repeatedly mentioned and were very redundant. I do think it just needed to be polished a little bit more before being put out. But again, I did enjoy it, and I would definitely read the next one and other books by this author. I think it was well written, fresh, and exciting. Again I'd like to say thank you so much for this ARC. I really appreciate the chance to read this.
First, I'd want to thank the author for this ARC. Here is my honest and unbiased review.
If you're looking for a quick read with a fresh new look on fantasy and industrial setting, definitely check this book out!
Okay, so I liked the story and plot of this book. It was fast-paced and fun at the beginning, and I just couldn't stop reading. Starting with such an epic first few chapters and introducing everything was such a great idea. But I think everything slowed down from there and I don't think anything developed as the story went on. I don't believe there was a lot of world-building or even an explanation of the politics that everyone was so against. It's not enough just to say if there's a tyrannical king, you have to show it to you.
I think that these characters were fully developed people with motivation and goals that they need to see finished one minute, then next, they were flat characters with one defining characteristic and nothing. I think the way that the three brothers are referred to as the Princes by almost everyone throughout the whole book made them a group, not individual people. You only had any development when one of the brothers was alone with someone else. I think that Carson started as an interesting character. I really enjoyed his friendship with Enaya, and I really wanted to see where everything was going, but somewhere about halfway through the book, I think he just changed a lot, and I didn't care for his character as much. I think Enaya was super interesting. She was very human and very normal in a sense. She was a badass, yes, but she wasn't invincible. She wasn't unstoppable. She had her problems, and she was realistic; she was human. At some points, almost too much so. I found myself getting annoyed with how often she thought the same thing to herself. Of how often she was like, oh no, what's going on? I don't know what to do? It was interesting once or twice, but it happened so often that I was like okay I get it I don't care.
Overall I thought that the setting was excellent. It reminded me of the fable series, an industrial setting. It was a nice mix of industrialization, magic, fairies, and an epic adventure. I think this is a fresh take on the fantasy genre. So different from the high fancy of a medieval based world with little to no technology. I like the idea of fantasy with a king and a queen in the kingdom surrounded by humans and non-humans, yet there are trains and guns and just more technology mixed with magic.
For a debut novel from this author, I think this book did very well. I do believe it could have gone through one or two more rounds of editing. At some point, somethings just didn't seem to match up to me. There seem to be a few inconsistencies. Some things were repeatedly mentioned and were very redundant. I do think it just needed to be polished a little bit more before being put out. But again, I did enjoy it, and I would definitely read the next one and other books by this author. I think it was well written, fresh, and exciting. Again I'd like to say thank you so much for this ARC. I really appreciate the chance to read this.
June 27, 2021
The book did a good job at pulling me into it. It was easy to visualize the characters by the description given and the adventure was there also. It was a good first book from a new writer and I really enjoyed it!
Good job! I am ready for the next journey with your characters.
Good job! I am ready for the next journey with your characters.
May 14, 2021
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions In this review are my own.
A tale of adventure, magic, Friendship, trust and above all what it means to leave your past behind: The raven thief provides an emotional rollercoaster through a compelling world that you can’t help but fall In love with.
It took me a chapter or two to get use to the world and the narrative, which is to be expected with a fantasy read. However I found it very easy to follow, and get involved in the world. The characters were addictive and I found myself turning each page, anticipating the events that they would find themselves in.
One character that especially interested me was the antagonist. (And Spoilers for the rest of the review, warning!)
The crimson witch. Her mind control abilities were intriguing, I also loved the element of the woods. I rarely find a villain as my favourite character, but I adored reading the crimson witch. I don’t think I was supposed to fall in love with the villain characters, but they were fascinating to read about!
I also loved the backstories for the characters. Especially the princes. That being said, it was a very plot driven book and I would have like to see more development into each character as some I thought were 2 dimensional. They have potential to be fully developed characters, and this book laid the foundation which is something that I hope will further be explored in the next books.
Another foundation that was laid in this book was the romance. There were some feelings explored between Enya and Carson which again I can’t wait to be further developed. I also would like to see Beacon further explore his sexuality which was hinted at in this book.
Overall I highly enjoyed it: I read it in 2 days in total, I couldn’t put it down. It transported me to a world that I couldn’t help but want to be immersed in. I also couldn’t help fall in love with all the beautifully written characters ( including the crimson which who honestly is my favourite charcter ). However This book laid the foundation for further development, which the characters have the potential for, but it wasn’t fully established in this book. It was plot driven, which took me on a rollercoaster.
I can not wait to come back to the world and the characters in the next book as well as see where the story will take them and how it will end.
Would highly recommend to anyone. 4.5/5 stars!
A tale of adventure, magic, Friendship, trust and above all what it means to leave your past behind: The raven thief provides an emotional rollercoaster through a compelling world that you can’t help but fall In love with.
It took me a chapter or two to get use to the world and the narrative, which is to be expected with a fantasy read. However I found it very easy to follow, and get involved in the world. The characters were addictive and I found myself turning each page, anticipating the events that they would find themselves in.
One character that especially interested me was the antagonist. (And Spoilers for the rest of the review, warning!)
The crimson witch. Her mind control abilities were intriguing, I also loved the element of the woods. I rarely find a villain as my favourite character, but I adored reading the crimson witch. I don’t think I was supposed to fall in love with the villain characters, but they were fascinating to read about!
I also loved the backstories for the characters. Especially the princes. That being said, it was a very plot driven book and I would have like to see more development into each character as some I thought were 2 dimensional. They have potential to be fully developed characters, and this book laid the foundation which is something that I hope will further be explored in the next books.
Another foundation that was laid in this book was the romance. There were some feelings explored between Enya and Carson which again I can’t wait to be further developed. I also would like to see Beacon further explore his sexuality which was hinted at in this book.
Overall I highly enjoyed it: I read it in 2 days in total, I couldn’t put it down. It transported me to a world that I couldn’t help but want to be immersed in. I also couldn’t help fall in love with all the beautifully written characters ( including the crimson which who honestly is my favourite charcter ). However This book laid the foundation for further development, which the characters have the potential for, but it wasn’t fully established in this book. It was plot driven, which took me on a rollercoaster.
I can not wait to come back to the world and the characters in the next book as well as see where the story will take them and how it will end.
Would highly recommend to anyone. 4.5/5 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2020
I've got this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So, let me start with why this book took me so long to finish.
For the last few months, I've been reading only romance with no magic or fae or just no fantasy. I used to love this world and forever cherished it, until the "real world" was more for me. However, back then I signed up to review this book and I didn't want to back down just because I don't read it anymore. That's why it took me so long to read, I had to get used to magic and all.
I think the concept of this book was spectacular. Ashley had everything planned out and on the right way. I, honestly, didn't think something could shock me with fantasy books anymore, but here I am, reading this book and being like "What the heck?". I loved that moment, so be prepared!
This book is written in 3rd person, if I'm not mistaken. I usually don't read books that are written this way (but I always try to give it a chance!) and let me tell you, this one was amongst the one of those I didn't mind! I actually loved it! When it comes to point of views, for me I need 1st person, because that is how I can identify with the character and sympathise with her. This one was perfectly written so I didn't worry about that part of the book.
Our Raven thief was amazing! I freaking loved her! She was fearless and truth, honesty and trust were #1 for her, which I admire since she is a thief.
The rest of the "crew": Carson, Rowan, Niall and Beacon? I mean, Carson is THE one for me, obvi because of his tattoos, the way he stays by with Enya and more...but I loved them all nonetheless.
This book also ends with a cliffhanger, so if you don't like that, just wait a little longer for the next book The Crimson Witch to come out next year!
This one is a definite must read for those of you who love Young Adult, magic or evil!
I can't wait to read The Crimson Witch, if I get the chance.
So, let me start with why this book took me so long to finish.
For the last few months, I've been reading only romance with no magic or fae or just no fantasy. I used to love this world and forever cherished it, until the "real world" was more for me. However, back then I signed up to review this book and I didn't want to back down just because I don't read it anymore. That's why it took me so long to read, I had to get used to magic and all.
I think the concept of this book was spectacular. Ashley had everything planned out and on the right way. I, honestly, didn't think something could shock me with fantasy books anymore, but here I am, reading this book and being like "What the heck?". I loved that moment, so be prepared!
This book is written in 3rd person, if I'm not mistaken. I usually don't read books that are written this way (but I always try to give it a chance!) and let me tell you, this one was amongst the one of those I didn't mind! I actually loved it! When it comes to point of views, for me I need 1st person, because that is how I can identify with the character and sympathise with her. This one was perfectly written so I didn't worry about that part of the book.
Our Raven thief was amazing! I freaking loved her! She was fearless and truth, honesty and trust were #1 for her, which I admire since she is a thief.
The rest of the "crew": Carson, Rowan, Niall and Beacon? I mean, Carson is THE one for me, obvi because of his tattoos, the way he stays by with Enya and more...but I loved them all nonetheless.
This book also ends with a cliffhanger, so if you don't like that, just wait a little longer for the next book The Crimson Witch to come out next year!
This one is a definite must read for those of you who love Young Adult, magic or evil!
I can't wait to read The Crimson Witch, if I get the chance.
January 14, 2021
I am SO happy to have come accross what is to me such a gem of a book from the early stages of development and I can't wait to see where the series goes in the future.
Wow! Seriously...Where to start!?!? Ashley Olivier blew me away with her first novel "The Raven Thief", formerly known as "The Black Thief".
This book from start to finish digs it's claws in demanding you to keep reading until the very last nail biting ending.
There's every ingredient to the perfect YA fantasy fix here from loveable characters, romance, loads of marvelous action and perilous adventure PLUS a magical world choc-full of both new and unique magical creatures and races easily brought to life with the way the story is told. SO immersive! I could easily see Enyas world unfurl and easily come to life around me as I read. The Raven Thief is gripping with all of the danger and battles sequences! I had such a fun read.
The story plot which is so simple, once read is actually a complex journey of mystical mayhem and epic danger leaving you craving to know what will happen in the next book. Which I am! I'm so excited to find out and have all my questions answered already and I can't wait to get to know even more about This nasty piece of work known as The Crimson Witch.
Quite easily comparable to Harry Potter and The Medoran Chronicles which are two of my other favourite magical YA fantasies and well worth a read. If you have read and love either of those and even if your just looking for a fresh new magical realm to delve in to. Look no further!
Wow! Seriously...Where to start!?!? Ashley Olivier blew me away with her first novel "The Raven Thief", formerly known as "The Black Thief".
This book from start to finish digs it's claws in demanding you to keep reading until the very last nail biting ending.
There's every ingredient to the perfect YA fantasy fix here from loveable characters, romance, loads of marvelous action and perilous adventure PLUS a magical world choc-full of both new and unique magical creatures and races easily brought to life with the way the story is told. SO immersive! I could easily see Enyas world unfurl and easily come to life around me as I read. The Raven Thief is gripping with all of the danger and battles sequences! I had such a fun read.
The story plot which is so simple, once read is actually a complex journey of mystical mayhem and epic danger leaving you craving to know what will happen in the next book. Which I am! I'm so excited to find out and have all my questions answered already and I can't wait to get to know even more about This nasty piece of work known as The Crimson Witch.
Quite easily comparable to Harry Potter and The Medoran Chronicles which are two of my other favourite magical YA fantasies and well worth a read. If you have read and love either of those and even if your just looking for a fresh new magical realm to delve in to. Look no further!
January 10, 2024
I was given an advanced reader copy to this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is definitely the start of an interesting world from the view of one strong, bad*ss female that had to learn things the hard way. I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about her and her friends, old and new.
I did feel the internal struggle was focused on way more than physical, life trials, so if those are the kind of stories you like, then this is a good book for you! Personally, I would’ve liked a bit more description and action played out in detail, but I do feel like I know Enya and her character really well. There were long stints of inner thoughts right as something happened, so many of the trials our characters go through seem to happen quickly compared to how long it takes Enya to process and react.
Many of the other characters are interesting and I hope to get to know them more. Carson, as Enya’s best friend and second in command, is fascinating and we get a snidbit of his past, but I’d love to know more about him and how his friendship with Enya grew to this point of basically knowing what the other is thinking (in terms of fight and flight, anyway). Beacon, the middle child princeling, definitely steals my heart a bit. I hope to get to know Miriana and other Grims, especially those that are fae, in the next books!
Great characters will hopefully make for some great character arcs in this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
This book is definitely the start of an interesting world from the view of one strong, bad*ss female that had to learn things the hard way. I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about her and her friends, old and new.
I did feel the internal struggle was focused on way more than physical, life trials, so if those are the kind of stories you like, then this is a good book for you! Personally, I would’ve liked a bit more description and action played out in detail, but I do feel like I know Enya and her character really well. There were long stints of inner thoughts right as something happened, so many of the trials our characters go through seem to happen quickly compared to how long it takes Enya to process and react.
Many of the other characters are interesting and I hope to get to know them more. Carson, as Enya’s best friend and second in command, is fascinating and we get a snidbit of his past, but I’d love to know more about him and how his friendship with Enya grew to this point of basically knowing what the other is thinking (in terms of fight and flight, anyway). Beacon, the middle child princeling, definitely steals my heart a bit. I hope to get to know Miriana and other Grims, especially those that are fae, in the next books!
Great characters will hopefully make for some great character arcs in this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
October 12, 2021
I got an ARC from the author in exchange for a review
The Raven Thief is a story of friendship and betrayal, of good and evil. In the book we follow Enya, a rebel and thief in the country of Skeyya. One day Enya and her friend, Carson, must help three princes find a magic sword. But she soon discovers that this job is way more dangerous than what she’s used to.
“To stay moving, no matter the cost.”
This book was very exciting to read. It was never boring, something was always happening, so it was an easy book to get through. The storyline was complex but it was written in such a way that it was easy to follow.
Enya, Carson, and the princes are interesting characters and I really enjoyed following them through the book. Sometimes I felt like we were told how the characters felt rather than shown, though that changed as the book went on. I liked following Enya’s thoughts and see how she reacts to things.
I was kind of confused with the world, it was hard for me to grasp how everything worked and what the faerie courts were? I hope we’ll learn more about all of that in the upcoming books.
Overall I really liked reading this book; it was one of those easy reads, where you can just read and read and read.
The Raven Thief is a story of friendship and betrayal, of good and evil. In the book we follow Enya, a rebel and thief in the country of Skeyya. One day Enya and her friend, Carson, must help three princes find a magic sword. But she soon discovers that this job is way more dangerous than what she’s used to.
“To stay moving, no matter the cost.”
This book was very exciting to read. It was never boring, something was always happening, so it was an easy book to get through. The storyline was complex but it was written in such a way that it was easy to follow.
Enya, Carson, and the princes are interesting characters and I really enjoyed following them through the book. Sometimes I felt like we were told how the characters felt rather than shown, though that changed as the book went on. I liked following Enya’s thoughts and see how she reacts to things.
I was kind of confused with the world, it was hard for me to grasp how everything worked and what the faerie courts were? I hope we’ll learn more about all of that in the upcoming books.
Overall I really liked reading this book; it was one of those easy reads, where you can just read and read and read.
August 8, 2020
The Raven Thief will be the next bestselling debut! It has everything a bibliophile would love: Friendship, Betrayals, Love, and Adventure. This book did not fail at all! Its world building was also amazing. The descriptions were vivid and clear, you will most likely be transported to their world. I love how detailed the maps are & the names of the places it really shows how dedicated the author was while writing this one. I also commend her for the plot and the scenes that were very action-packed. From the very first scene, it will fill you with excitement and you will adore Enya!! The repertoire between Rowan and Enya radiates off the pages and it makes me love them more. The only thing I found that was a bit saddening was how it somehow focused mostly on the 2 main characters. I would've loved a bigger friend group with amazing dynamic.
From the very first page down to the last, this book will keep you off of your feet. This story is perfect for the readers who love Six of Crows! It's got the heist, the friendship, the action! I am very honored to be a part of the ones who read this first and I truly see this book as a big sucess! And with that ending, I can't wait for the next book.
From the very first page down to the last, this book will keep you off of your feet. This story is perfect for the readers who love Six of Crows! It's got the heist, the friendship, the action! I am very honored to be a part of the ones who read this first and I truly see this book as a big sucess! And with that ending, I can't wait for the next book.
August 6, 2020
The author kindly sent me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
What is the book about?
Enya, also called the Raven, is a rebellion who helps innocent and helpless people. One day three boys demand her help to find The Sword of Bas in order to save the kingdom. There are a lot obstacles on their journey and they don't seem to end.
What did I like about this book?
The biginning of this story is amazing. You get thrown into the book and don't wanna stop reading. I also love the unique bond between Enya and Carson and that the "romance" is just a side story and not the main focus of the book. Rowan is a very interesting character in my opinion, and I wish that we would have seen his perspective of the story as well. I also love how the Enya's emotions and thoughts were described. It made her a very relatable and likeable character.
What did I not like about this book?
In my opinion there is a lack world building at the beginning and I was very confused sometimes.
I really enjoyed this book otherwise and I am very intrigued to read the next book in this series.
What is the book about?
Enya, also called the Raven, is a rebellion who helps innocent and helpless people. One day three boys demand her help to find The Sword of Bas in order to save the kingdom. There are a lot obstacles on their journey and they don't seem to end.
What did I like about this book?
The biginning of this story is amazing. You get thrown into the book and don't wanna stop reading. I also love the unique bond between Enya and Carson and that the "romance" is just a side story and not the main focus of the book. Rowan is a very interesting character in my opinion, and I wish that we would have seen his perspective of the story as well. I also love how the Enya's emotions and thoughts were described. It made her a very relatable and likeable character.
What did I not like about this book?
In my opinion there is a lack world building at the beginning and I was very confused sometimes.
I really enjoyed this book otherwise and I am very intrigued to read the next book in this series.
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