What do you think?
Rate this book
Series #1
The Raven and the Banshee
It’s the early 1700’s and sixteen-year-old Julia Farrow, spirited daughter of a shipping company owner, lives and loves on her own terms. With a sharp mind and sharper tongue, she constantly defies family and society expectations with no regard for the consequences.
Branna Kelly, only child of an Irish immigrant sailor, is hopelessly in love with Julia and imagines their life together as captains of their own fate. Left brokenhearted after Julia’s rejection, she embarks on a journey to chart a new shipping route to the Caribbean. Before Julia can explain her decision, Branna’s ship is overrun by merciless pirates. All hands are presumed lost.
Fifteen years later, Julia is running the Farrow Company and sailing with the crew on her newest ship when an encounter with pirates leaves her the lone survivor to be rescued by the infamous Raven, hard-hearted captain of the mercenary ship, Banshee. Julia is shocked to discover her rescuer wears a familiar face.
The Raven and the Banshee is a passionate tale of vengeance, forgiveness and second chance love in a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas.
Content note: the book contains one brief scene of sexual assault and one mention of rape.
Branna Kelly, only child of an Irish immigrant sailor, is hopelessly in love with Julia and imagines their life together as captains of their own fate. Left brokenhearted after Julia’s rejection, she embarks on a journey to chart a new shipping route to the Caribbean. Before Julia can explain her decision, Branna’s ship is overrun by merciless pirates. All hands are presumed lost.
Fifteen years later, Julia is running the Farrow Company and sailing with the crew on her newest ship when an encounter with pirates leaves her the lone survivor to be rescued by the infamous Raven, hard-hearted captain of the mercenary ship, Banshee. Julia is shocked to discover her rescuer wears a familiar face.
The Raven and the Banshee is a passionate tale of vengeance, forgiveness and second chance love in a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas.
Content note: the book contains one brief scene of sexual assault and one mention of rape.
234 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2022
34 people are currently reading
1977 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Elizabeth
9 books168 followersCarolyn Elizabeth is an author of Sapphic stories where serious camp meets upbeat macabre. Her sarcasm and love of pop culture are sprinkled throughout her stories and she would love to publish at least one novel in every sub-genre.
Carolyn once bungee jumped in the parking lot of a bar in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. She’s been a bridesmaid five times and a bride once. She’s sailed a tall ship, spent a night in jail, gotten many tattoos, been scuba diving twice, and fired a handgun.
For fun, she used to play winter rugby 7’s in an indoor horse arena in New Hampshire. She’s been to Savannah, Georgia for Saint Patrick’s Day, and been on a medical mission to northern Argentina.
Carolyn is a mom of two rambunctious boys, living in London, Ontario and working in cancer research. She enjoys weaving elements of her colorful and diverse life experiences, including her education in pathology, into her romantic blend fiction.
Carolyn once bungee jumped in the parking lot of a bar in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. She’s been a bridesmaid five times and a bride once. She’s sailed a tall ship, spent a night in jail, gotten many tattoos, been scuba diving twice, and fired a handgun.
For fun, she used to play winter rugby 7’s in an indoor horse arena in New Hampshire. She’s been to Savannah, Georgia for Saint Patrick’s Day, and been on a medical mission to northern Argentina.
Carolyn is a mom of two rambunctious boys, living in London, Ontario and working in cancer research. She enjoys weaving elements of her colorful and diverse life experiences, including her education in pathology, into her romantic blend fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 8, 2022
4.25 Stars. A fun swashbuckling adventure! What a great way to start 2022 off with a Carolyn Elizabeth book. While Elizabeth has only been published since 2019, all of her books have been great, if not wonderful, ranging in the 4-5 stars range. Elizabeth is not only an automatic read for me, but she is a drop what you are doing and go read, read. As much as I love Corey and Thayer (her Curtis and Reynolds series) when I heard her next book was going to be pirates, I was really excited. I mean come on, who doesn’t love lesbian pirates.
I found the book really easy to get into. It only took a few pages for me to feel quite immersed into this 1700’s time period. Elizabeth’s writing is nice and descriptive so that you can easily see the pirates, the weapons, the ships, and you can even almost smell the salt air. The setting, mixed with an interesting storyline, and I was hooked. The read goes by very quickly and leaves you wanting more.
I thought there was a good amount of romance for an action-adventure book. This is a second-chance romance which was smart of Elizabeth since the characters already had a built in connection. This way, Elizabeth could spend the time, while not on a pirating adventure, growing their connection stronger instead of having to grow in from the very beginning stages. While the connection is there right away, and strong, it did take me a little while longer to really feel their chemistry. Their relationship is surprisingly on the medium angst scale, and I think their angsty relationship is what helped build their chemistry in my eyes.
I think my one slight issue with the book, and why I could not rate it higher, is that I found that the storyline felt a little predictable. I don’t know if it is because I will read or watch just about anything pirate related, but I could tell at most turns where the story was headed. On the good side is that the story was still fun, filled with romance and adventure, and that is what you want from a lesbian pirate tale.
I do want to give a TW for attempted sexual assault. I personally think this is an overused story beat in pirate stories, although I know it is realistic. However, I was very happy to see that the person this happened to was a badass in her own way. It was not like this was a story with only one character always saving the damsel in distress, instead both characters were smart and tough women that were enjoyable to read about.
TLDR: This was a fun pirate action-romance. The pirate’s adventures were exciting to read and there is an angsty second-chance romance too. Elizabeth writes well as always and this time she has transported us to the 1700’s and I didn’t want to leave. There is a short story staring our two main characters, available from Bella’s website, and I’m excited to read that too. I want more adventures with these main characters so I hope we will see a full-length book 2, in the future, but in the meantime I will happily read anything Elizabeth writes.
An ARC was give to me for a review.
I found the book really easy to get into. It only took a few pages for me to feel quite immersed into this 1700’s time period. Elizabeth’s writing is nice and descriptive so that you can easily see the pirates, the weapons, the ships, and you can even almost smell the salt air. The setting, mixed with an interesting storyline, and I was hooked. The read goes by very quickly and leaves you wanting more.
I thought there was a good amount of romance for an action-adventure book. This is a second-chance romance which was smart of Elizabeth since the characters already had a built in connection. This way, Elizabeth could spend the time, while not on a pirating adventure, growing their connection stronger instead of having to grow in from the very beginning stages. While the connection is there right away, and strong, it did take me a little while longer to really feel their chemistry. Their relationship is surprisingly on the medium angst scale, and I think their angsty relationship is what helped build their chemistry in my eyes.
I think my one slight issue with the book, and why I could not rate it higher, is that I found that the storyline felt a little predictable. I don’t know if it is because I will read or watch just about anything pirate related, but I could tell at most turns where the story was headed. On the good side is that the story was still fun, filled with romance and adventure, and that is what you want from a lesbian pirate tale.
I do want to give a TW for attempted sexual assault. I personally think this is an overused story beat in pirate stories, although I know it is realistic. However, I was very happy to see that the person this happened to was a badass in her own way. It was not like this was a story with only one character always saving the damsel in distress, instead both characters were smart and tough women that were enjoyable to read about.
TLDR: This was a fun pirate action-romance. The pirate’s adventures were exciting to read and there is an angsty second-chance romance too. Elizabeth writes well as always and this time she has transported us to the 1700’s and I didn’t want to leave. There is a short story staring our two main characters, available from Bella’s website, and I’m excited to read that too. I want more adventures with these main characters so I hope we will see a full-length book 2, in the future, but in the meantime I will happily read anything Elizabeth writes.
An ARC was give to me for a review.
January 12, 2022
4.5 stars. I have such a weak spot for pirate stories, especially lesbian pirate stories, so how could I not love this book. I like the way Carolyn Elizabeth writes and I will pick up any book she writes, but when I saw a pirate book was coming, well let’s just say it made me very happy (although I do hope we also get more Corey and Thayer).
Last year a short story (At Words Point) was already published featuring the two main characters of this book later in life as an established couple, but now I finally got to see how they get together. This is a second chance romance between Branna Kelly and Julia Farrow, and their history together works excellent with all the action and adventure going on to keep a romance going as well. They grow up together and fall in love, Branna being the daughter of a well-respected captain and Julia being the daughter of a wealthy family in trading that employs Branna’s father. However, Julia rejects Branna and their ways separate, only to meet again 15 years later when Branna (aka the Raven) has grown into the captain of the mercenary ship the Banshee and Julia works for the family trading company.
This book gives you everything you can expect from a book with pirates/mercenaries. Part of the book is set at sea and part on land in port Nassau where the mercenaries enjoy their off time. The pirates are rough and ready to overtake a ship or settle a score, so there is plenty of adventure, and of course there is the romance between Branna and Julia. They both wear scars from their past and challenge each other constantly. I liked them both, Branna is closed and not the easiest type to get along with (I mean, she’s a mercenary!), but there is a heart in there somewhere;) Julia is more sociable and not afraid to ask for what she wants and while she may seem like the damsel in distress at times, she certainly is not.
The pacing is good and while the storyline is a bit predictable at times it provides both good action scenes and interesting characters (also the secondary characters), which made this book score so many points on the entertainment factor for me. I could read more about these two, so I hope Elizabeth will follow through on that statement in the acknowledgments that there is more where this came from.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Last year a short story (At Words Point) was already published featuring the two main characters of this book later in life as an established couple, but now I finally got to see how they get together. This is a second chance romance between Branna Kelly and Julia Farrow, and their history together works excellent with all the action and adventure going on to keep a romance going as well. They grow up together and fall in love, Branna being the daughter of a well-respected captain and Julia being the daughter of a wealthy family in trading that employs Branna’s father. However, Julia rejects Branna and their ways separate, only to meet again 15 years later when Branna (aka the Raven) has grown into the captain of the mercenary ship the Banshee and Julia works for the family trading company.
This book gives you everything you can expect from a book with pirates/mercenaries. Part of the book is set at sea and part on land in port Nassau where the mercenaries enjoy their off time. The pirates are rough and ready to overtake a ship or settle a score, so there is plenty of adventure, and of course there is the romance between Branna and Julia. They both wear scars from their past and challenge each other constantly. I liked them both, Branna is closed and not the easiest type to get along with (I mean, she’s a mercenary!), but there is a heart in there somewhere;) Julia is more sociable and not afraid to ask for what she wants and while she may seem like the damsel in distress at times, she certainly is not.
The pacing is good and while the storyline is a bit predictable at times it provides both good action scenes and interesting characters (also the secondary characters), which made this book score so many points on the entertainment factor for me. I could read more about these two, so I hope Elizabeth will follow through on that statement in the acknowledgments that there is more where this came from.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2023
“The Raven and the Banshee” by Carolyn Elizabeth is a historical action/adventure pirate book featuring a second chance romance.
Pirate books are not my first choice but when I saw that Elizabeth was writing one, I knew I had to read it. I’ve enjoyed the other two books I’ve read by her and assumed this one would be no different and I’m so glad I was right. This was really fun and gory and I just about read the whole thing in one sitting.
Branna Kelly and Julia Farrow have been life-long best friends. At 16, their relationship has progressed to more but is eventually ended by Julia. Fifteen years later they are reunited on the seas when Branna, now living life as a pirate captain, comes across Julia’s seemingly abandoned cargo ship.
One of my favorite things about this are the characters. Branna and Julia are both such interesting and different characters. This is set in the 1700’s so they’re busy breaking all kinds of barriers with Julia running her family’s trading company and Branna being the captain of a pirate ship. They’re opposites but have a lot in common as well. They’ve both dealt with a lot and are stronger women because of it. All of the side characters were just as fun and interesting to read too. They all have important roles and I loved how Elizabeth uses them instead of just being there to prop up the main characters.
There is plenty of action on the seas for all the action/adventure fans out there. This has a bit of a revenge plot with Branna hunting a certain pirate and Elizabeth does a fantastic job with all the details in describing the settings and the action that it’s very easy to imagine. There’s fighting and gore and if you love pirates doing piratey things, you’ll love this.
Also, there is a 5,000-word short story that was previously released that follows this. It’s available on Bella Books website and I recommend it just as a fun follow up to this terrific read.
I have my fingers crossed that we get more of Branna and Julia in the future!
I received an ARC from Bella Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pirate books are not my first choice but when I saw that Elizabeth was writing one, I knew I had to read it. I’ve enjoyed the other two books I’ve read by her and assumed this one would be no different and I’m so glad I was right. This was really fun and gory and I just about read the whole thing in one sitting.
Branna Kelly and Julia Farrow have been life-long best friends. At 16, their relationship has progressed to more but is eventually ended by Julia. Fifteen years later they are reunited on the seas when Branna, now living life as a pirate captain, comes across Julia’s seemingly abandoned cargo ship.
One of my favorite things about this are the characters. Branna and Julia are both such interesting and different characters. This is set in the 1700’s so they’re busy breaking all kinds of barriers with Julia running her family’s trading company and Branna being the captain of a pirate ship. They’re opposites but have a lot in common as well. They’ve both dealt with a lot and are stronger women because of it. All of the side characters were just as fun and interesting to read too. They all have important roles and I loved how Elizabeth uses them instead of just being there to prop up the main characters.
There is plenty of action on the seas for all the action/adventure fans out there. This has a bit of a revenge plot with Branna hunting a certain pirate and Elizabeth does a fantastic job with all the details in describing the settings and the action that it’s very easy to imagine. There’s fighting and gore and if you love pirates doing piratey things, you’ll love this.
Also, there is a 5,000-word short story that was previously released that follows this. It’s available on Bella Books website and I recommend it just as a fun follow up to this terrific read.
I have my fingers crossed that we get more of Branna and Julia in the future!
I received an ARC from Bella Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2022
Pirates!
I never thought of myself as a pirate person, but I like this. It's an exciting story and there's a lot of action at sea. The story is set in 1700s, Caribbean, a difficult time for women to amount to anything so it was nice that Branna could flourish as the fearless captain of a mercenary ship with a reputation that precedes her and never have her gender called to question.
There's an equal amount of romance here and the love story between Branna and her childhood sweetheart, Julia is very sweet and I love the chemistry between them. Young Branna and Julia had parted ways abruptly as teens and had gone through mutliple losses along the way. The adult version of Branna is broken and Julia pieces Branna's heart back together when they reunite years later.
This is an exciting story I never thought I would like this much, but I really do.
I received an ARC from Bella Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I never thought of myself as a pirate person, but I like this. It's an exciting story and there's a lot of action at sea. The story is set in 1700s, Caribbean, a difficult time for women to amount to anything so it was nice that Branna could flourish as the fearless captain of a mercenary ship with a reputation that precedes her and never have her gender called to question.
There's an equal amount of romance here and the love story between Branna and her childhood sweetheart, Julia is very sweet and I love the chemistry between them. Young Branna and Julia had parted ways abruptly as teens and had gone through mutliple losses along the way. The adult version of Branna is broken and Julia pieces Branna's heart back together when they reunite years later.
This is an exciting story I never thought I would like this much, but I really do.
I received an ARC from Bella Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2022
The 1700’s in the Caribbean is a dangerous time for any ocean travel. Pirates roamed the seas looking to intercept cargo ships for their treasures and wares.
Julia Farrow is the daughter of a shipping magnate with ties to the Caribbean. Branna Kelly is the daughter of a ship’s captain employed by the Farrows. She is also deeply in love with Julia. On the night of Branna and her family’s departure for the Caribbean, Julia breaks Branna’s heart. During her voyage Pirates decimate the ship leaving Branna the lone survivor.
At the heart of this novel is a second chance at love for Branna. The journey to the second chance is an exciting read by anyone’s standards. Elizabeth’s
main characters are strong women who make their mark in their world and the readers.
Elizabeth is an exciting storyteller and does not disappoint in hopefully the first book of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free from Bella Books and NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Julia Farrow is the daughter of a shipping magnate with ties to the Caribbean. Branna Kelly is the daughter of a ship’s captain employed by the Farrows. She is also deeply in love with Julia. On the night of Branna and her family’s departure for the Caribbean, Julia breaks Branna’s heart. During her voyage Pirates decimate the ship leaving Branna the lone survivor.
At the heart of this novel is a second chance at love for Branna. The journey to the second chance is an exciting read by anyone’s standards. Elizabeth’s
main characters are strong women who make their mark in their world and the readers.
Elizabeth is an exciting storyteller and does not disappoint in hopefully the first book of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free from Bella Books and NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 11, 2022
My love for pirates was a foregone conclusion. With Treasure Island, Errol Flynn, and even Tom and Huck’s adventures on Jackson Island swirling in my wee brain, why wouldn’t pirate be on my shortlist of possible future occupations?
We get a brief glimpse of a sweet, young romance when teenage Branna and Julia say their bittersweet goodbyes in Charlestown. It’s 1705 and Branna is leaving with her seafaring family. Julia is settling into her obligations as one of the daughters of a wealthy southern family. They cannot be together even though they love each other. The stark reality. Then bleak tidings strike and the story turns darker.
We meet Branna again years later and she has turned a tragedy into a bloody vendetta. When she and Julia meet again, they are both aged by their own heartbreaks. It’s a tough reunion but they slowly build back a connection, this time as equals. Heat, heat, heat.
Branna is a brash pirate captain known for her violent incursions. She is on a mission to eviscerate the pirate who destroyed her family. Julia is now the head of her wealthy family’s finances and ventures out on their newest ship. It’s all a fantastic tale. When the two powerful women meet again, it’s an explosive connection. Such fun. Looking forward to their next chapter on the wild seas.
4.5 stars.
We get a brief glimpse of a sweet, young romance when teenage Branna and Julia say their bittersweet goodbyes in Charlestown. It’s 1705 and Branna is leaving with her seafaring family. Julia is settling into her obligations as one of the daughters of a wealthy southern family. They cannot be together even though they love each other. The stark reality. Then bleak tidings strike and the story turns darker.
We meet Branna again years later and she has turned a tragedy into a bloody vendetta. When she and Julia meet again, they are both aged by their own heartbreaks. It’s a tough reunion but they slowly build back a connection, this time as equals. Heat, heat, heat.
Branna is a brash pirate captain known for her violent incursions. She is on a mission to eviscerate the pirate who destroyed her family. Julia is now the head of her wealthy family’s finances and ventures out on their newest ship. It’s all a fantastic tale. When the two powerful women meet again, it’s an explosive connection. Such fun. Looking forward to their next chapter on the wild seas.
4.5 stars.
November 7, 2023
4.5 stars.
This was a fun swashbuckling story. Good character development and communication. Lots of action too.
I listened to the audio and the narration was well done.
This was a fun swashbuckling story. Good character development and communication. Lots of action too.
I listened to the audio and the narration was well done.
January 31, 2022
This book was so much fun! I've always heard great things about Carolyn Elizabeth's writing even though I've only read one other book by her in The Other Side of Forestlands Lake. But With how good that book was and word of mouth praise for her work I was really looking forward to The Raven and The Banshee. Plus who wouldn't love pirate lesbians?
Branna Kelly had her entire life flipped upside down when right after she proposed to the love of her life and best friend Julia Farrow of the Farrow company and was rejected, she and her family were attacked by pirates on their journey to South Carolina, leaving only Branna alive. 15 years later, in order to survive, Branna had to harden herself into the pirate captain The Raven when she finds an abandoned ship with again one survivor on it, Julia Farrow which again totally upends the world the Raven had built for herself, especially right before she was about to set out on revenge on the man who killed her parents.
What an adventure this was! This book had so much in it but didn't feel overwhelming or crammed at all. It had all the action and adventure you might expect out of a pirate story while also being very tender and emotional in depicting the relationship between Branna and Julia.
I'm a second chance romance fan- its my favorite romance trope so I'm never complaining when I see it, but I think the trope was particularly used well here to show how feelings still (and always) existed between Branna and Julia so we could instantly feel their connection while also concentrating on the adventure part of the novel. It was really well done. And the relationship itself was really cool! I liked how The Raven and the Banshee depicted how odd a lesbian relationship in the 1700s was for most people, while still rolling with it anyway. It was handled delicately and well.
Julia and Branna were really touching together. You could tell how hurt both were, not just by each other but their lives, and that lead them to make poor choices in effecting the other but they always came back together too. I really loved them.
And the action of the book was so fun! Even if you could kinda guess what the outcome would inevitably be I personally still had a blast reading it and living out the scenes.
If I were to complain about anything in the book it is that after the action showdown, the pacing of the book really slowed down for me. The last 20% or so weren't bad by any means but it to me felt like the book was just counting down until it wrapped up.
This was a world of fun. I had a great time with this book! It was both a wild ride and a touching one. 4.25/5
Branna Kelly had her entire life flipped upside down when right after she proposed to the love of her life and best friend Julia Farrow of the Farrow company and was rejected, she and her family were attacked by pirates on their journey to South Carolina, leaving only Branna alive. 15 years later, in order to survive, Branna had to harden herself into the pirate captain The Raven when she finds an abandoned ship with again one survivor on it, Julia Farrow which again totally upends the world the Raven had built for herself, especially right before she was about to set out on revenge on the man who killed her parents.
What an adventure this was! This book had so much in it but didn't feel overwhelming or crammed at all. It had all the action and adventure you might expect out of a pirate story while also being very tender and emotional in depicting the relationship between Branna and Julia.
I'm a second chance romance fan- its my favorite romance trope so I'm never complaining when I see it, but I think the trope was particularly used well here to show how feelings still (and always) existed between Branna and Julia so we could instantly feel their connection while also concentrating on the adventure part of the novel. It was really well done. And the relationship itself was really cool! I liked how The Raven and the Banshee depicted how odd a lesbian relationship in the 1700s was for most people, while still rolling with it anyway. It was handled delicately and well.
Julia and Branna were really touching together. You could tell how hurt both were, not just by each other but their lives, and that lead them to make poor choices in effecting the other but they always came back together too. I really loved them.
And the action of the book was so fun! Even if you could kinda guess what the outcome would inevitably be I personally still had a blast reading it and living out the scenes.
If I were to complain about anything in the book it is that after the action showdown, the pacing of the book really slowed down for me. The last 20% or so weren't bad by any means but it to me felt like the book was just counting down until it wrapped up.
This was a world of fun. I had a great time with this book! It was both a wild ride and a touching one. 4.25/5
August 1, 2022
“Are you all right?”
“No. Not until you touch me.”
A wonderful historical romance with a dash of action and adventure, and characters I really really came to love. Branna and Julia fell in love at sixteen, but are then torn apart by parental whims and a tragedy on the high seas. Now it's 15 years later, and Branna is a ruthless ship captain and Julia is a successful merchant, and they find themselves thrown together again. I can be pretty picky about pirate stories and depictions of the historical Caribbean, and while I didn't particularly love anything about the way the setting was portrayed, I had nothing to complain about either. There's a lot of action and adventure and gore, and I think this does a good job of showing the brutality of life on the seas without going overboard (................ba dum psh) about it. It didn't take long for me to get totally immersed in the story and the characters.
Said characters were just awesome, exactly what I want out of a novel like this. Branna is badass and competent and desperate to cling to the ruthless name she's made for herself, but she can't keep her heart hard against Julia. Julia was wonderful as well; the consummate survivor, smart and confident and gives as good as she gets. Their chemistry was so so good, and even though the push-and-pull in the relationship was a teensy but frustrating, it was realistic, and played out the way I think a second chance romance of this nature would. Some of the situations they get thrown into are so harrowing, and the ways they come out of it, the ways the author shows how much they still care about one another... I really really loved it. All of the scenes aboard the ship when they're learning to be around each other again, but in a different capacity... gah. I ate it all up. There's also so many good care-taking scenes in this that I just adored. Another thing I liked is that Branna is known as a female captain. In a lot of stories like this, you'll have the female character masquerading as a man in order to rise to the position she is. While I don't dislike that at all, I do enjoy that Branna has to juggle the extra weight of always needing to be seen as tough and capable, because as a woman, her position is so precarious.
This could have gotten a higher rating from me, but the pacing did slow down considerably several times, and that messed with the flow for me. The change of pace was probably necessary, but idk, I feel like it could have been written better, so we didn't feel like we were in a lull. Might just be a me thing though!
Listened to the audiobook as read by Mary Sarah, and. Okay, I definitely liked her voice, no complaints there, but she had a very unique reading style? Especially when it came to the prose? Her voice would lilt up and down unnecessarily, and sometimes it would genuinely confuse me, because we'd be in the middle of a fight scene and homegirl would be reading like she was doing ASMR or singing me a lullaby. 😭 Again, I liked her voice! The narration was a bit weird, but definitely not bad and obviously not so much of a deterrent that I didn't finish. I'm glad to have discovered a new author with a backlist that I can slowly chip away at, because this was just so good in so many ways.
Content warnings:
“I can’t do this if I’m thinking about you, and don’t you know...” She cupped her hand against Julia’s cheek. “All I do is think about you.”
January 12, 2022
Would you call pirates in 1720 historical fiction? I think maybe yes? Is that out of my comfort zone? Definitely yes! But for a Carolyn Elizabeth story, I am happy to venture outside of my comfy corner. Elizabeth's Curtis and Reynolds series is so good, one of my favourites even, and whenever she has a new book out I just need to read it. I doubted if this one was for me, because of the very specific theme of pirates, I don't really care for them, not even the lesbian variety. I think that this book might have shifted my perspective on that, or it's just Elizabeth's excellent writing.
I only needed to read a few pages to be immersed in the world of pirates in 1720, a bustling Nassau, rough seas, and even rougher people who work on or around the seas. The battles and the work are brutal, but very well written. I think this book works so well for me because of how strong Elizabeth's characters are, you know very early on who they are and why they are behaving in a certain way. You really get a good feel of the main characters, but the author doesn't stop there, the secondary characters are just as strong and important to the story.
You must be wondering how can there be a romance in a story like this with a lot of violence and on open seas. That's where the very smart decision of a second chance romance comes into play. Branna and Julia have a history. As a reader you are aware of the history and it makes for pleasant reading and a good romance to go with all the action.
Action-adventure romances always have an issue with making the romance believable, at least a lot of the time. In my opinion one always takes away from the other, that's why I prefer the crime/ mystery romance, it usually works better. In this case I would say it works out perfectly, and it all comes down to Elizabeth's excellent writing, story choices and characters.
Does this book have downsides? Just a tiny one I would say, it's predictable. But even in the predictability, there are some "surprises". Oh and maybe a warning for attempted sexual assault should be in place. I like how it was fiercely handled. And just in general lots of violence, because you know, pirates... and it gets into some graphical detail, if that isn't your thing, skip over those passages.
This book now belongs in my comfort zone, thank you Carolyn Elizabeth! I hope this is the beginning of a new series, 4.5 stars.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
I only needed to read a few pages to be immersed in the world of pirates in 1720, a bustling Nassau, rough seas, and even rougher people who work on or around the seas. The battles and the work are brutal, but very well written. I think this book works so well for me because of how strong Elizabeth's characters are, you know very early on who they are and why they are behaving in a certain way. You really get a good feel of the main characters, but the author doesn't stop there, the secondary characters are just as strong and important to the story.
You must be wondering how can there be a romance in a story like this with a lot of violence and on open seas. That's where the very smart decision of a second chance romance comes into play. Branna and Julia have a history. As a reader you are aware of the history and it makes for pleasant reading and a good romance to go with all the action.
Action-adventure romances always have an issue with making the romance believable, at least a lot of the time. In my opinion one always takes away from the other, that's why I prefer the crime/ mystery romance, it usually works better. In this case I would say it works out perfectly, and it all comes down to Elizabeth's excellent writing, story choices and characters.
Does this book have downsides? Just a tiny one I would say, it's predictable. But even in the predictability, there are some "surprises". Oh and maybe a warning for attempted sexual assault should be in place. I like how it was fiercely handled. And just in general lots of violence, because you know, pirates... and it gets into some graphical detail, if that isn't your thing, skip over those passages.
This book now belongs in my comfort zone, thank you Carolyn Elizabeth! I hope this is the beginning of a new series, 4.5 stars.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
January 12, 2022
Carolyn Elizabeth is one of those authors whose books I automatically grab when I see them. I have loved her writing since I read her very first novel. Even knowing that, little did I realize how captivated I would be by her swashbuckling pirate adventure and romance novel, The Raven and the Banshee.
This is an awesome story! The beginning setting is a place I know well…Charleston, or Charlestown, South Carolina as it was known in the early 1700s. As someone who lived in this area, I can tell you the descriptions in the book are spot on. Even with the three hundred year time difference, the area described here, especially around The Battery and the plantation homes have really not changed that much in looks and atmosphere. The mercenary ship, The Banshee, and the early colony of Nassau are also well described.
Of course this is an adventure story filled with pirates and mercenaries. Not only are these people out for gold and other riches, many are set on exacting revenge for wrongs done to them. These folks don’t settle disputes by playing a rousing game of checkers. You must expect a lot of action, fighting, blood and gore.
Woven into this exciting adventure is a second chance romance between Branna Kelly, who becomes Captain Kelly (The Raven) of the mercenary ship, The Banshee, and Julia Farrow, a young Southern lady who inherits the Farrow shipping company. I fell for both women early and their love story itself would have kept me a captive of this tale. It is a fairly angsty romance, but that just makes it fit perfectly into the adventure. The chemistry is there at the beginning of the tale, and grows throughout the story.
The author tells us in the blurb about one mention of rape and a short scene of an attempted sexual assault in the novel. The scenes didn’t bother me, but I thought I would mention it anyway.
This book is now firmly in my favorites and has my highest recommendation. If you love adventure and romance, then set your sails and chart your course for the nearest bookstore, Matey. You don’t want to miss this treasure of a tale!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.
This is an awesome story! The beginning setting is a place I know well…Charleston, or Charlestown, South Carolina as it was known in the early 1700s. As someone who lived in this area, I can tell you the descriptions in the book are spot on. Even with the three hundred year time difference, the area described here, especially around The Battery and the plantation homes have really not changed that much in looks and atmosphere. The mercenary ship, The Banshee, and the early colony of Nassau are also well described.
Of course this is an adventure story filled with pirates and mercenaries. Not only are these people out for gold and other riches, many are set on exacting revenge for wrongs done to them. These folks don’t settle disputes by playing a rousing game of checkers. You must expect a lot of action, fighting, blood and gore.
Woven into this exciting adventure is a second chance romance between Branna Kelly, who becomes Captain Kelly (The Raven) of the mercenary ship, The Banshee, and Julia Farrow, a young Southern lady who inherits the Farrow shipping company. I fell for both women early and their love story itself would have kept me a captive of this tale. It is a fairly angsty romance, but that just makes it fit perfectly into the adventure. The chemistry is there at the beginning of the tale, and grows throughout the story.
The author tells us in the blurb about one mention of rape and a short scene of an attempted sexual assault in the novel. The scenes didn’t bother me, but I thought I would mention it anyway.
This book is now firmly in my favorites and has my highest recommendation. If you love adventure and romance, then set your sails and chart your course for the nearest bookstore, Matey. You don’t want to miss this treasure of a tale!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.
March 30, 2023
Fifteen years after being lost at sea, Branna Kelly is the captain of her own ship and intent on avenging her parents’ death at the hands of pirates. Her thirst for revenge grows tenfold when her crew boards a seemingly abandoned ship and finds numerous bodies and one survivor: Julia Farrow, Branna’s childhood friend and first love. The first woman who broke her heart, too.
If you’ve read At Words Point, you’ve already met Branna and Julia. When this short story was released, Carolyn Elizabeth was getting known for her Curtis and Reynolds romantic thrillers and trying her hand at a different kind of thrill. I’m really glad she took it further and her publisher, Bella Books, went along.
If you like pirate stories, this one has it all. It’s full of twists and hurdles, with a healthy dose of angst. There’s drama and villains and betrayals but no damsel in distress. Both MCs are strong and brave and everything you’d want in a heroine battling bad guys. Their only weakness is each other.
I have to say, however, that this may be the strangest narration I’ve ever listened to. The narrator has a nice voice, her choices for the characters work well, but the tone and pace are all wrong. This is a story of pirates and revenge, with the action and adrenaline one would expect, and yet the narration reminded me of a wildlife documentary, with the narrator channelling David Attenborough at his most soothing. I’m not taking stars off because it would be unfair to the author but I’d recommend reading rather than listening if you want to enjoy the story to the fullest.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
January 5, 2022
Everything I hoped it would be... swashbuckling revenge tale with a second-chance romance to die for!! Amazing. Loved it. Bought the book!! I was looking forward to this novel since it was announced, and always fear that expectations may be too high, but not a problem; Elizabeth knocks this out of the park.
Julia Farrow and Barra Kelly are teenage loves ripped apart by family expectations and reports of the Kelly family's death at the hands of pirates. However, years later, Farrow and Kelly once again cross paths, but now there is a weight of expectation, revenge and broken promises that may keep them apart forever.
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** And honestly, it was great; read it!!
Julia Farrow and Barra Kelly are teenage loves ripped apart by family expectations and reports of the Kelly family's death at the hands of pirates. However, years later, Farrow and Kelly once again cross paths, but now there is a weight of expectation, revenge and broken promises that may keep them apart forever.
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** And honestly, it was great; read it!!
February 23, 2022
Liked it, didn't love it. 3 stars to me is perfectly average in terms of rating, I don't think it's a bad rating, in my mind that's not how I see it.
I think my problem was I didn't feel any real connection with the women, we're told a lot about their history, then there's a time-jump, and a reconnection - but neither ever really stops to get to know each other on any real deep level, so us as the audience don't get to know the characters as anything more than their very limited personas.
I kept getting annoyed with one characters constant running away and propensity for violence. Like I get it - pirates but I guess I felt like it was all very cliche and I would have enjoyed a theme of difference there, so it just had me eye-rolling a few too many times.
Yes I know how hypocritical I sound, there was just something kinda off for me. But everyone else loved it, as usual - checkout other reviews before determining the books worth.
ETA: A lot of issues I had here, I also had with this authors other book - so perhaps this is just a not gelling thing for me and the style.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I think my problem was I didn't feel any real connection with the women, we're told a lot about their history, then there's a time-jump, and a reconnection - but neither ever really stops to get to know each other on any real deep level, so us as the audience don't get to know the characters as anything more than their very limited personas.
I kept getting annoyed with one characters constant running away and propensity for violence. Like I get it - pirates but I guess I felt like it was all very cliche and I would have enjoyed a theme of difference there, so it just had me eye-rolling a few too many times.
Yes I know how hypocritical I sound, there was just something kinda off for me. But everyone else loved it, as usual - checkout other reviews before determining the books worth.
ETA: A lot of issues I had here, I also had with this authors other book - so perhaps this is just a not gelling thing for me and the style.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
May 23, 2022
Captivating through and through. Not once did I grow bored or get lost. Lots of action of every kind. A suspenseful love story.
January 23, 2022
If you told me a few years ago I'd be reading (and enjoying) pirate-themed lesfic books, I would've laughed. Wholeheartedly. I really enjoyed this pirate adventure novel, even though it was a tad predictable at times.
What I love about Carolyn Elizabeth's novels that I've read so far is that she doesn't let her characters off lightly. They typically have some serious events happen to them, which makes for an entertaining and dramatic read. The Raven and the Banshee is no exception to the rule, as both Branna and Julia face significant challenges during the novel and I couldn't help but feel very sympathetic to them both.
The second chance romance is very sweet. I liked these characters together but the romance (for me) was not the driving force of this novel. It was the adventure, the pirate life and the fleshed out side characters giving us so much entertainment. This is getting rave reviews so far and it's definitely clear why.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
What I love about Carolyn Elizabeth's novels that I've read so far is that she doesn't let her characters off lightly. They typically have some serious events happen to them, which makes for an entertaining and dramatic read. The Raven and the Banshee is no exception to the rule, as both Branna and Julia face significant challenges during the novel and I couldn't help but feel very sympathetic to them both.
The second chance romance is very sweet. I liked these characters together but the romance (for me) was not the driving force of this novel. It was the adventure, the pirate life and the fleshed out side characters giving us so much entertainment. This is getting rave reviews so far and it's definitely clear why.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2022
Pirates and adventure and a lesbian love! What’s not to love? Elizabeth delivers on the mains’ chemistry again. Book sets it up for more stories from these ladies. Can’t wait.
February 3, 2022
2.5/5 stars
I hate that I did not love this book as much as I wanted to, and as much as everyone else seems to. This book has everything you could possibly want, sapphic, angsty and fearsome pirates! The plot was fast paced, the romance was palpable and there was lots of action. I can’t put my finger on why I didn’t love this, but I just couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. I felt like I was a spectator from a great distance and unable to connect to the characters or the action. Because there was so much angst and emotionally-driven action, this is a book you have to connect with to really enjoy. Given the great reviews this book has been getting, I’m assuming this is an “it’s me not you” problem.
I hate that I did not love this book as much as I wanted to, and as much as everyone else seems to. This book has everything you could possibly want, sapphic, angsty and fearsome pirates! The plot was fast paced, the romance was palpable and there was lots of action. I can’t put my finger on why I didn’t love this, but I just couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. I felt like I was a spectator from a great distance and unable to connect to the characters or the action. Because there was so much angst and emotionally-driven action, this is a book you have to connect with to really enjoy. Given the great reviews this book has been getting, I’m assuming this is an “it’s me not you” problem.
August 6, 2022
WOW!
As I said before, I regard myself a daughter of the sea. Alexander Kent and Patrick O'Brian are probably the two most knowledgeable writers on naval warfare and sailing ships around and I have read most of their work more than just once.
Ms. Elizabeth's tale is very authentic and a gripping read, the sapphic romance just the kick I needed to crave this book on top of the sefaring theme. As I said, the aspects of life at sea in a sailing vessel of the time are well and authenticly portrayed with just one small glitch, that is the number of people involved to sail such a ship. Eighty years later 30 something men would have hardly been able to man a cutter, a sloop of war (carrying the mentioned number of guns) would have had a minimum of sixty and a frigate of any navy would have been maned by at lest 300 sailors and anything like 100 marines.
But that kind of authenticity is not really required here, because all the rest is spot on. Both the action, especially the fight of the Banshee and the Serpents Mistress, and the general life are well portrayed. We are talking here the time of two real life female pirates, Mary Reed and Ann Bonney, whose existence is actually pretty much proven. There's much speculation about their sexuality, let's leave that open. But for me as a sapphic reader the romance - of course - is very satisfying, especially as both, Branna and Julia are, as another character said, pretty much equal in personal strength.
As I said before, I regard myself a daughter of the sea. Alexander Kent and Patrick O'Brian are probably the two most knowledgeable writers on naval warfare and sailing ships around and I have read most of their work more than just once.
Ms. Elizabeth's tale is very authentic and a gripping read, the sapphic romance just the kick I needed to crave this book on top of the sefaring theme. As I said, the aspects of life at sea in a sailing vessel of the time are well and authenticly portrayed with just one small glitch, that is the number of people involved to sail such a ship. Eighty years later 30 something men would have hardly been able to man a cutter, a sloop of war (carrying the mentioned number of guns) would have had a minimum of sixty and a frigate of any navy would have been maned by at lest 300 sailors and anything like 100 marines.
But that kind of authenticity is not really required here, because all the rest is spot on. Both the action, especially the fight of the Banshee and the Serpents Mistress, and the general life are well portrayed. We are talking here the time of two real life female pirates, Mary Reed and Ann Bonney, whose existence is actually pretty much proven. There's much speculation about their sexuality, let's leave that open. But for me as a sapphic reader the romance - of course - is very satisfying, especially as both, Branna and Julia are, as another character said, pretty much equal in personal strength.
January 11, 2022
A historical fiction romance with a sapphic pirate. What is not to love? In 1705 Julia Farrow is 16 and her father owns a shipping company. Branna Kelly is the daughter of a sailer and to separate the two girls the Kelly family is sent to the Caribbean. Sadly their ship is attack and all are thought lost. Fifteen years later Julia is running the family business. She is found, the only surviving member of her crew by Captain Raven (Branna).
This is a second chance romance that is also a swashbuckling good time. I was happy to see the two reunited fairly early on in the story. Being a second chance they already have a past to build on but Branna must get over the rejection she felt. I love Julia's easy going nature and her joy at finding Branna again. Branna is more changed and hardened and is a mission to avenge her family's death. I like the locations on sea and in the Bahama's. Some parts were predictable but overall I enjoyed the adventure. It is well paced and includes lots of side characters (family and crew) for extra depth. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars rounding up)
This is a second chance romance that is also a swashbuckling good time. I was happy to see the two reunited fairly early on in the story. Being a second chance they already have a past to build on but Branna must get over the rejection she felt. I love Julia's easy going nature and her joy at finding Branna again. Branna is more changed and hardened and is a mission to avenge her family's death. I like the locations on sea and in the Bahama's. Some parts were predictable but overall I enjoyed the adventure. It is well paced and includes lots of side characters (family and crew) for extra depth. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars rounding up)
January 30, 2022
Ms Elizabeth had me at the book blurb. Lesbians. Pirates. It’s the perfect pairing. Okay, so Branna Kelly isn’t a pirate per se … but she’s a daring sea captain intent on revenge against the despicable pirates who killed her parents and have been terrorizing the seas for years. That’s close enough for me.
The Raven and Banshee is a great adventure set in the 1700s that brought back a lot of good memories of the old swashbuckler movies I loved as a kid – but with two female leads which is even better. Julia Farrow and Branna Kelly were young and in love, but the potential scandal led to Julia’s father threatening to destroy Branna’s father’s career as a captain. Forced to spurn Branna’s declaration of love and sending her off on a voyage with her parents. Julia’s guilt and regret is devastating when Branna’s father’s ship is reported as being attacked by pirates with no survivors. But never fear, Branna managed to escape with a scar and a grudge. Over the years, Branna built her reputation and skills as the captain of The Banshee, a mercenary ship that harried pirates and ne’er do well’s around the Bahamas. When Branna’s ship comes across an seemingly abandoned ship, they find Julia chained in the hold with a message for Branna from the dread pirate who Branna has chased all these years.
I don’t want to give the story away, suffice to say that there’s lots of drama, lots of action, lots of betrayal, lots of brooding, lots of romance. This was a great way to spend the weekend – immersed in an exciting and action-packed story that didn’t shy away from some gore and mayhem. As with Ms Elizabeth’s other novels, her main characters are engaging and well rounded and even the secondary characters felt real and fleshed out. There’s good chemistry between Branna and Julia, the second chance romance is always a favourite trope. Branna’s pigheaded pride and Julia’s not always smart decisions gave them enough obstacles to overcome and the time to let the rekindled romance simmer
For a good time – read this book.
RECOMMEND
The Raven and Banshee is a great adventure set in the 1700s that brought back a lot of good memories of the old swashbuckler movies I loved as a kid – but with two female leads which is even better. Julia Farrow and Branna Kelly were young and in love, but the potential scandal led to Julia’s father threatening to destroy Branna’s father’s career as a captain. Forced to spurn Branna’s declaration of love and sending her off on a voyage with her parents. Julia’s guilt and regret is devastating when Branna’s father’s ship is reported as being attacked by pirates with no survivors. But never fear, Branna managed to escape with a scar and a grudge. Over the years, Branna built her reputation and skills as the captain of The Banshee, a mercenary ship that harried pirates and ne’er do well’s around the Bahamas. When Branna’s ship comes across an seemingly abandoned ship, they find Julia chained in the hold with a message for Branna from the dread pirate who Branna has chased all these years.
I don’t want to give the story away, suffice to say that there’s lots of drama, lots of action, lots of betrayal, lots of brooding, lots of romance. This was a great way to spend the weekend – immersed in an exciting and action-packed story that didn’t shy away from some gore and mayhem. As with Ms Elizabeth’s other novels, her main characters are engaging and well rounded and even the secondary characters felt real and fleshed out. There’s good chemistry between Branna and Julia, the second chance romance is always a favourite trope. Branna’s pigheaded pride and Julia’s not always smart decisions gave them enough obstacles to overcome and the time to let the rekindled romance simmer
For a good time – read this book.
RECOMMEND
December 2, 2023
Started off a little awkward, but it won me over in the end.
The pacing and the delivery for the first 20 to 30% felt a little stiff to me. However, it did feel like the author used that time to create a decent foundation for the other plot points that happened later, so that was nice.
One of my biggest complaints was that more could have been done to emphasize Julia as an equal and capable sailor. I did notice a second book in the series, so maybe we will get more Julia time.
It's a little tropey, but a great addition if you are a fan of pirate stories. This one was a little more unique in that there was no disguised as a man subplot. If you're looking for a sapphic pirate story, you might want to hive it a try.
The pacing and the delivery for the first 20 to 30% felt a little stiff to me. However, it did feel like the author used that time to create a decent foundation for the other plot points that happened later, so that was nice.
One of my biggest complaints was that more could have been done to emphasize Julia as an equal and capable sailor. I did notice a second book in the series, so maybe we will get more Julia time.
It's a little tropey, but a great addition if you are a fan of pirate stories. This one was a little more unique in that there was no disguised as a man subplot. If you're looking for a sapphic pirate story, you might want to hive it a try.
September 14, 2023
Okay this is gonna be a ruthless shit storm of a critique.
First of all, I didn't know this was a fan fiction turned book. But once I found out, it explained A LOT.
Character building was none existant. Something that irked me so much was Branna's repeated "you won't love me once you know who I am" spiel, but we never learned what makes her such a self proclaimed unlovable horrible person.
Julia exists only for the sake of Branna, she doesn't really have her own story, except her trauma, which is as surface level as it gets.
Then, Story.
The whole book builds up to this big clash against Jagger, and the conflict was resolved in 5 pages, or there abouts, which happened in the middle of the book. I want to say I remember that Branna didn't even kill him herself, but as I read it as fast as possible, I can't say for sure. And the last 80 pages was a weird rushed story line that truly didn't need to be there. Not to mention the betrayal of a huge character, that was never mentioned again.
There was no depth to their character. A lot of their dialogue is kind of out of place.
The relationship between Branna and Julia was very boring, frankly. There was no build up, no getting to know each other after 15 years. They saw each other, knew they liked each other then, and bedded each other days after meeting each other again. Where's the slow burn. Where is the interesting part? They have not fought for their relationship. The prologue didn't help the story either, we probably should've done without, so you get to uncover their past as you read. Instead, it's thrown at you right in the beginning.
And then, something that I see way too often in books, is info dumping. One mention of a parent or whomever, and we get to know their entire life in just 3 paragraphs. It makes reading a lot less interesting, because everything that makes a story interesting, is immediately told.
The only reason why I'm giving it 2 stars and not 1, is because I managed to not DNF it. Because the book is rather short, I pushed through.
And last but not least, the thing that pulled me out the most; the weird Anachronistic names. Branna was not a common name back then.
TL;DR:
This was in no way worth my 20 euros and 2 months delivery time :')
First of all, I didn't know this was a fan fiction turned book. But once I found out, it explained A LOT.
Character building was none existant. Something that irked me so much was Branna's repeated "you won't love me once you know who I am" spiel, but we never learned what makes her such a self proclaimed unlovable horrible person.
Julia exists only for the sake of Branna, she doesn't really have her own story, except her trauma, which is as surface level as it gets.
Then, Story.
The whole book builds up to this big clash against Jagger, and the conflict was resolved in 5 pages, or there abouts, which happened in the middle of the book. I want to say I remember that Branna didn't even kill him herself, but as I read it as fast as possible, I can't say for sure. And the last 80 pages was a weird rushed story line that truly didn't need to be there. Not to mention the betrayal of a huge character, that was never mentioned again.
There was no depth to their character. A lot of their dialogue is kind of out of place.
The relationship between Branna and Julia was very boring, frankly. There was no build up, no getting to know each other after 15 years. They saw each other, knew they liked each other then, and bedded each other days after meeting each other again. Where's the slow burn. Where is the interesting part? They have not fought for their relationship. The prologue didn't help the story either, we probably should've done without, so you get to uncover their past as you read. Instead, it's thrown at you right in the beginning.
And then, something that I see way too often in books, is info dumping. One mention of a parent or whomever, and we get to know their entire life in just 3 paragraphs. It makes reading a lot less interesting, because everything that makes a story interesting, is immediately told.
The only reason why I'm giving it 2 stars and not 1, is because I managed to not DNF it. Because the book is rather short, I pushed through.
And last but not least, the thing that pulled me out the most; the weird Anachronistic names. Branna was not a common name back then.
TL;DR:
This was in no way worth my 20 euros and 2 months delivery time :')
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2022
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: favorite trope, out of your comfort zone, unusual job, non-US/UK setting (mostly); UNICORN: Historical event (possibly other categories)
The Raven may, or may not, be about a pirate, per se, but she's compared to Robin Hood by some. This is a story about revenge and a second chance at love, with several nautical terms sprinkled throughout. The reunion of the main characters is unlike most books that I've ever read before, but it reveals the strength and intelligence of the Raven's lost love as she passed into adulthood. The characters are well developed, strong women that learned to be survivors. I hope that we'll get more adventures on the Banshee with the fantastic captain and her crew.
The Raven may, or may not, be about a pirate, per se, but she's compared to Robin Hood by some. This is a story about revenge and a second chance at love, with several nautical terms sprinkled throughout. The reunion of the main characters is unlike most books that I've ever read before, but it reveals the strength and intelligence of the Raven's lost love as she passed into adulthood. The characters are well developed, strong women that learned to be survivors. I hope that we'll get more adventures on the Banshee with the fantastic captain and her crew.
February 3, 2022
I recommend this book
Pirate's with a lesbian captain really enjoyed this book. I felt like I was on the ship sailing on the ocean. Sweet second chance romance. The characters are interesting. The main characters are very likable. Waiting for more adventures at sea. Thanks
Pirate's with a lesbian captain really enjoyed this book. I felt like I was on the ship sailing on the ocean. Sweet second chance romance. The characters are interesting. The main characters are very likable. Waiting for more adventures at sea. Thanks
July 1, 2022
On edge almost the entire book and boy did I luv every bit of it. Great book!
March 24, 2022
It was good, but not more than that.
October 29, 2024
Interesting story of sapphic pirates! Second chance romance spanning 15 years. Lots of action and steam to keep the story flowing and engaging from beginning to end.
May 17, 2022
4 stars. A second chance lesbian pirate romance. Yep I had to read this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It’s not a full five stars only because the opening chapter of the moment when Julia and Branna’s relationship ends because of Julia pushing her away it didn’t really do it for me. I think that’s because we didn’t get a chance to see their chemistry leading up to that moment so I didn’t buy into it. I needed more buildup and backstory.
However, once they meet up again fifteen years later when Julia ends up on Branna’s ship that’s when things get really good. I loved both characters a lot and I loved their romance. The tension and chemistry between them was so good and I loved how well they worked together. They are both fascinating characters and I loved them both together and as individuals. Julia honestly had the best character development between the two but that’s because Branna was already pretty perfect (I love her. Seriously).
The side characters really fleshed this out and gave the story life. There’s some really great and intense action scenes, it’s paced well and the writing is fantastic. I had a blast while reading this and I will definitely be picking up more form this author.
However, once they meet up again fifteen years later when Julia ends up on Branna’s ship that’s when things get really good. I loved both characters a lot and I loved their romance. The tension and chemistry between them was so good and I loved how well they worked together. They are both fascinating characters and I loved them both together and as individuals. Julia honestly had the best character development between the two but that’s because Branna was already pretty perfect (I love her. Seriously).
The side characters really fleshed this out and gave the story life. There’s some really great and intense action scenes, it’s paced well and the writing is fantastic. I had a blast while reading this and I will definitely be picking up more form this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews