3.7/5 stars.

The Ravens is a solid beginning of a series! I am always a fan of reading about magic and witches, so seeing that with a whole coven of witches immediately caught my intrigue. The magical spells were great reading about, quite simple to understand but that made it all the more fun. I liked the dual POVs too, seeing from the eyes of Scarlett who is a fully fledged witch aware of her powers and what they can do, and Vivi who is only now discovering her abilities in witchcraft.

Scarlett and Vivi are also both very different characters, the former ambitious and driven and confident, the latter naive and hopeful and shy. Scarlett has had her whole life planned out for her, while Vivi has spent her entire life moving so is still struggling on her own two feet trying to find out who she really is. Its refreshing seeing different strong female protagonists, and their Big and Little sister dynamic and how their friendship blossoms in the second half, but I truly do detest when books use boys as a way to drive a wedge between female characters. Surely there isn't another way to create strife and conflict between them instead of a silly boy? It was frustrating reading that, and I wish it had focused more on the magic and plot instead of a love triangle.

Nonetheless, the plot was interesting to read about! The mystery behind what happened to Gwen and Harper, and who was out to get the sorority Kappu Rho Nu kept me intrigued to get through the novel. I could almost picture it as a fun horror movie with how the story kept me on my toes and second guessing all the characters.

In the end, the book really is about sisterhood, so I let my reservations about the love triangle slide since the overarching plot is the sorority, the ravens, utilising their magic to help each other. With this cemented, I'm curious about what the next novel will be and I look forward to reading it.

I tend to really enjoy books involving magic and witches, and The Ravens was no exception! The idea of a college sorority hiding a coven was just brilliant. "The Ravens", as the Kappa Rho Nu sisters call themselves, are the most exclusive and envied sorority on campus - they throw the best parties, wear the most fashionable clothes and always look perfect and gorgeous, winning everyone else's adoration and envy. What no one on campus knows, though, is that this is all possible thanks to magic.

The actual magical system was quite easy to understand, based on tarot cards and each witch's natural affinity to one of the elements (earth, water, fire and air), and I really enjoyed discovering how the sisters could work together to increase their powers. There was a real focus on sisterhood and cooperation throughout the book that I really loved to read about.

Which brings me to my biggest moan about this book: the whole Scarlett-hating-Vivi dynamic, which is a constant for the majority of the book, is brought on by... yes, you guessed it - a guy.

This feels like such a cliché I was seriously disappointed to see it in an otherwise great book promoting solid female friendships. The romantic interests in general seemed to be in the book just... because? They really do very little beyond acting as a catalyst for conflict between the two main characters.

Aside from that, the characters were well-developed, and I did like to see them grow into themselves and deepen their bond. I really liked the fact that all characters got a fair shot, even the secondary ones. Vivi and Scarlett, with their alternating POVs, were beautifully fleshed out and so relatable, despite being very different from each other.

There were a few intertwining mysteries The Ravens had to solve and, even though I had a fairly good idea of where we might end up, I was glued to the page wanting to see what might happen next. I got some serious Pretty Little Liars vibes from this, which was weird given the college rather than high school setting, but it was very enjoyable all the same.

Overall, this was a gripping read than made me regret having life commitments that meant I couldn't read this all in one setting. Despite the one major flaw for me, it really works and is a great start to a new series. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for The Ravens!

Review will go live on my blog on 5th December 2020.

The Craft with an extra dose of Southern charm;
Welcome to Kappa Rho Nu, witches!

The Ravens follows Vivi, a freshman attending the beautiful Westerly college to escape her overbearing mother and Scarlet, a Raven sorority member who comes from a very powerful family of witches. When these two world’s collide, life as Westerly is gonna get wicked!

The Ravens was such a fun read! I devoured this book in less than 2 days, because I just couldn’t put it down. Even though this book is YA, it’s set in college which is a nice change of pace (especially for those like me, who on are the slightly older side of young adult) and I really enjoyed the sorority setting!
This story is told in 2 POVs, Vivi & Scarlet, which was a fantastic choice! It helped give a more well founded view of the story with Vivi giving us more of the college life aspect and Scarlet giving more of a deeper insight into the witch practises. Both characters are likeable and witty too, which was an added bonus!

The plot was interesting, with a few twists to keep you guessing and pretty well paced. There wasn’t any big lulls in the story, which helped keep your attention the whole way through. I did guess some of the twists half way through, but I still thoroughly enjoyed my time reading.
I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy when the book releases in January!

I received a free ecopy of this book in return for an honest review. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and to NetGalley for the opportunity.

Both Kass Morgan (The 100) and Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die) have successful book series behind them, so this was always going to be an exciting collaboration. Throw in a coven of witches and a possible witch-hunter and let the fun begin.

The background of this book is Kappa Rho Nu, an ancient coven of witches, disguised as a sorority house on a Savannah campus. The book is written from two viewpoints. Scarlett is a legacy Kappa with one eye on the presidency and her perfectly mapped out future and the other on her equally perfect boyfriend. Vivi, on the other hand, has lived a transient life, moving around the country with her flakey, fortune-telling mother, and is looking to use her freshman year to reinvent herself. Scarlett is unimpressed by Vivi and both are unhappy when Scarlett is appointed Vivi’s mentor, but bigger things are happening. The coven is suffering from escalating harassment which may have its roots in a past misdeed of Scarlett’s.

Of the two characters, I much preferred Vivi. I empathised with her when she was nervous about not fitting in, and loved watching her discover her powers and form lasting friendships. In contrast, Scarlett was a snob. She had rigid ideas and expected other people to fit around them. Scarlett’s best friend Tiffany seemed a much more interesting prospect, with an irreverent attitude, and a wicked sense of humour, and with a terminally ill mother she also garnered the sympathy vote. Like all good books though, the characters developed and, while I still wasn’t a Scarlett fan by the end I did respect her.

This book is written for the junior end of the Young Adult audience. It is clean, and, with one eye on Christmas, would make a great present for a young teen or someone a little younger than that. Older readers will enjoy the whodunnit aspect of the book, with a few twists, not all of which I saw coming. It’s an easy read and encapsulating enough to transport the reader away from the grim realities of 2020. If you want a little magic in your life, The Ravens is out now.

Reading this book felt like watching a TV series, and I think it would do better as a TV show. The plot didn't leave much impression on me, and it wasn't boring either. I don't understand why there was a love triangle in the book. The book would have been better off without the love triangle and could have focused more on the girls. These girls were more concerned about getting into the Kappa house rather than focusing on their college. I mean, what happened to Vivi's new start; she came here to study, but all of a sudden, she was only concerned to be a Raven. Often, I kept forgetting that it was a college book and had to remind myself of that fact too.

If you are someone who likes reading YA novels with a bit of magic/ witches in it, then this might be your book. This book wasn't for me, and I'm not sure if I might continue reading this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kappa Rho Nu is not your typical sorority. They’re known for hosting elaborate affairs - parties, fundraising events - and appear to be the envy of all. But the girls harbour a secret: they’re a coven of witches, hiding in plain sight. For Vivi Deveraux, being one of the Kappa Rho Nu’s Ravens is a chance to start afresh, and redefine herself. For Scarlett Winters, a Raven and daughter of a legacy Raven, the heat is on this year to live up to her mother’s harsh expectations of becoming the coven’s next president. When Vivi and Scarlett are paired as big and little in initiation, they find themselves enveloped in a world of blood and betrayal.

Vivi is a character I can relate to on different levels. She feels awkward and out of place, and she isn’t entirely sure where she belongs. Used to her mother dragging her to different places constantly has left her waiting for the inevitable shoe to drop when she finally finds something good. Joining the coven and becoming one of The Ravens settles her but I’m not entirely sure I enjoy her character as much when she does. It was clear that she would adapt in different ways to ensure she would fit in with the other girls - they gave her a chance and she doesn’t want to squander it. However, I feel there is a lapse in her fundamental character that leaves me less able to connect with her as the book draws to a close.
Scarlett is a character I can relate to in a different way. She has insurmountable pressure on her shoulders from her family to do good in the world - in particular, become president of Kappa Rho Nu, following in the footsteps of her mother and older sister who seem more focused on their achievements. Scarlett seems to have it all but is conscious of others and is desperate to forge a path of her own - yet also terrified of what that could mean. Between the two main girls, Scarlett is probably my favourite as she is more well-rounded as a character and any change we see in her is slow and steady, not seemingly all at once like I feel it is with Vivi.

I enjoyed the fact this book gives us a new take on teenage witches finding their place in the world. There were moments I did think it was a bit cliche but I think with a storyline like this, it is unavoidable. Despite those moments, this book was a great, easy read. It’ll be interesting to see what comes next.

Overall, The Ravens is a book involving self-discovery, learning your self worth, embracing all that you are and a whole lot of magic.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of this book.

I really wanted to enjoy this but oh my god, it was just bad.

The writing was so juvenile and it made the whole pacing and structure feel off. It didn’t feel like the two authors really gelled and it made the entire story feel disjointed.

Also these characters. All of them were so catty and so bitchy it drove me insane, I know this was witches and I know they’re not my favourite but maybe sororities really are a little pathetic but I just hated everyone.

The Ravens is the nickname for a sorority that is secretly a coven of witches. Vivi is asked to join not knowing she is a witch. We go on this journey with her and boy is it exhilarating and fun.

Vivi comes from a modest background, always moving to a new place, is at Westerly on a scholarship, and not much of a believer even though her mother is a 'psychic'. Scarlet is a legacy, from a well off family of witches, who doesn't seem to like Vivi, has her whole life planned out and a dark secret to hide. The antithesis of the protagonists creates an emotional roller coaster of their relationship and a tension that makes you wonder what they will do next. How things between them will evolve.

From the prologue there are clues of something sinister going on and the tidbits continue, peaking your curiosity. It is wonderous to be initiated to the magic along with Vivi. The descriptions are quite vibrant, like you can 'feel' the magic. But being a witch is more dangerous than even the more experienced ones thought.

Presenting a well structured plot, the story moves along at an adequate pace with plentiful shocks and twists along the way, as things get more intense. A beautiful flow of a narrative that keeps you engrossed. Also the zingers characters dole out to each other, most of them dripping in sarcasm are sooo good.

Sisterhood is a min theme here as are loyalty and ambition. Also about evolving as a person, becoming your better self. Change is inevitable and no matter how much we don't expect or want it, we should embrace it.

Not sure about the Mason thing. I liked him as a character, loved his wit, but the 'triangle' fell flat for me. I would of enjoyed it better if he was introduced just as a new love interest, nothing else.

I kept changing my mind as to the 'culprit' was which is a good thing storywise. When you realize the who close to the end, you can't read fast enough to find out the why and what the revelation will bring. Then a jaw dropping reveal changes everything. Whoever says they expected that ending is lying. This book is a good foundation for a series. Wonder what Morgan and Paige have up their sleeves for book two.

Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and arc of The Ravens for review! I am so happy I did. The Ravens has turned out to be one of my favourite Ya fantasy books I have ever read and I will put money on it becoming a firm book tube and bookstagram favourite! The Ravens is if Legally Blonde and The Craft mixed together and spat out a book 😂

The Ravens follow two young women attending college. One is Vivi , a girl who has always moved from school to school and never really made friends or felt part of a group. The other is Scarlett, a sorority girl who is motivated , a bit snobby and definitely a bit witchy!
It turns out that the Kappa sorority is just a front for a powerful coven of trainee witches .
Together the girls have to overcome the usual teenage problems but also solve the mystery of who is trying to hurt the coven.
The best parts of these books are the simplest things! In most ya you get the same old stereotypes abs tropes burning, the Ravens really turned it around.
Firstly I hated Scarlett to begin with but then the stereotypical sorority turned out to be the stronger written character with so much more depth .
The story also refused to be drawn into the typical girls picking boys over friends or being flattered by being told that they aren’t like other girls. The Ravens pointedly says no to these tropes and I really appreciated it.
I loved all the pop culture references as well!
The story was fast paced and I read it within three days. The ending was fab and I had sort of guessed the twist but not all of it.

The Ravens is a great book and I really hope there is a sequel!

-- I received an eARC of The Ravens via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. --

I loved loved loved The Ravens. I stayed up late and read the whole book in a single sitting as the story was so captivating I simply needed to know how it ended. I think part of what I enjoyed was that it featured the university experience rather than the high school experience of much of YA, which again, feeds in the need for the industry to lean into a New Adult category. The characters were just this tad more adult in the crossover space, dealing with issues in a different way that how YA readers might be used to.

Another of my favourite aspects was the way the world was built around a magic based on tarot cards. And I’m kind of obsessed with tarot cards right now, so that’s right up my alley. In this world, every girl has the potential to be a witch, some stronger, and some less so, and those that end up in Kappa Rho Nu definitely have magic.

The Ravens is a story of magic, sisterhood, but also betrayal and the corruption caused by too much power. It is well-written, excellently paced and lives up to the expectations raised by the concept. I highly recommend picking up this wonderful book for a night of escapism. Although: trigger warning for a parent with terminal cancer, as that might be hard for some readers to stomach.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. I really enjoy stories with a witch/coven central theme so I was definitely interested in this premise.

I appreciated that this took place in a collegiate setting, rather than a high school one, as seeing as I am quite a few years past the high school stage it was a lot more relatable.

For me, this book felt like a mix between The Craft, Charmed, and Mean Girls. So I'd recommend anyone who was a fan of these to give this title a go.

The writing wasn't my favourite style but it was easy to digest and I felt it suited the story.

We follow two POVs in this book and I have to say I did end up finding Scarlet's character to be slightly more developed. Not necessarily likeable but it just felt like more was fleshed out with her. I think, though, that perhaps Vivi's character is the one the author intended us to feel closer to. While I didn't dislike her character I felt there was something lacking. Apart from her being new to witchcraft and a childhood of impermanence, I feel we didn't get much from her personality other than she could be quite naive, especially towards the start of the book.

I was a little worried beginning of this book with the amount of girl on girl hate, especially from Scarlet towards Vivi over petty drama. Thankfully, this died down the further I read on.

I enjoyed the aspect of their witchcraft being based on the minor and major Arcana cards from a tarot deck, I'd never read anything similar so it lent a unique spin on this part of the magic system. I did find some of the rhyming spells a touch cheesy, however.

The romance subplots here didn't really capture my attention but they didn't detract from my reading experience either, they just merely weren't my favourite part.

I did end up guessing the plot twist to the ending but again, my enjoyment wasn't affected. It was still interesting to see how the plot unfolded and how it wrapped up some questions posed throughout the book.

I always love books that focus on witches, and this one is about a sorority that hides a coven! It took me a while to get into the book, but despite its faults, the excellent second half and the perfect amount of witchiness left me thoroughly entertained.

Kappa Rho Nu isn't an average sorority. It hides a coven of witches. For Vivi Deveraux, who's using university to get away from her eccentric mother, the sorority is a place to redefine herself. For Scarlett, who's part of a legacy family, it means leaving up to expectations. When dark secrets begin to emerge, and someone threatens everything, the sisters must work together to keep their coven safe.

I adore the plot and concept of The Ravens. Sorority witches! It has big dark academia vibes with the whole secret society thing, and there’s a lot of darkness in Kappa Rho Nu’s past. For Vivi it’s a brand new world of exciting magic, for Scarlett it’s where she’s supposed to be. History always comes back around again to cause trouble, and wow there’s a lot of trouble here.

The atmosphere is an absolute highlight. I love the spooky vibes, inside the sorority and in the larger plot. You’ve got an interesting magic system based around elements and tarot cards, secrets that come back to haunt you, and a threatening aura of dark magic on the horizon.

The magic system was fun to learn about; it was easy to understand and made a lot of sense. Each witch has elemental magic, and minor/major arcana spells, by joining together in a coven they gain access to other forms of magic. They literally are stronger together!

The beginning of the book was a lot weaker, and one of the plot points that made it this way was the cause of Vivi and Scarlett’s rivalry. They’re fighting over a man. A boring, bland man who I can’t understand why anyone wants. The trope has been used so often, that to see it in a book that aims to focus on sisterhood was a little disappointing.

I also thought the diversity in the book was handled very strangely, and this was more pronounced in the beginning. I’m sure it was well-meaning but describing the race of every single person regardless of their importance was a little odd. There’s a couple of witches who are dating, but I didn’t know anything else about them. It was as if diversity was described rather than lived. People’s identity had no impact on their character. Sometimes I wouldn’t know anything about them other than they were white, or East Asian. It fell into tokenism for me, and I’m glad that I could move on once most people were introduced.

On that note, considering it revolves around a sorority, we didn’t get to know many of the other women. Especially not in-depth. You’ve got the potential for a large cast of found family members here, but they aren’t developed enough so far. That’s definitely something I’d like to see the other books in the series do.

One character I did love was Scarlett. Her character arch was written superbly. I had ideas for where her character would go, but her development was better than I could have expected. Being part of a legacy family means she has a lot to live up to, and she desperately wants to. The sorority is her home and her destiny. I loved watching her grown in confidence and find her own motivation. She went through hell in this book, and I’m glad to see her out the other side.

Overall, The Ravens wasn’t without faults, but it was an amazingly entertaining read. By the second half, I began to fall in love with this book, and the difficulties I’d had at the beginning faded into the background. The ending wrapped up so perfectly I wonder where the other books in the series will go, but I’m excited to see them.

CW: Violence, Death, Terminal Illness

Now THAT is how you start a new book series! Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige, individual powerhouses in their own right authoring 'The 100' series and the 'Dorothy Must Die' novels respectively, have joined forces to write something truly compelling and captivating. I am already desperate to read more about the Kappas and their magical world!

The novel follows the perspective of two protagonists who attend Westerly college, Scarlett who is a Junior and well established in the Kappa Rho Nu sorority and Vivi, a freshman who falls into the rush process without much initial hope of success. Little does Vivi know that the Kappa sorority is a cover for the powerful coven The Ravens and she is about to not only discover magic is real but is very real, and powerful, within herself too. As Scarlett gets to work initiating the new pledges, including Vivi, there are also dark forces rising beyond the coven's imagining which they will need every spell and bond of sisterhood to overcome.

This novel does not mess around - the pacing is relentless, delivering dark surprises throughout the plot. I smugly thought I had it all figured out before the rug was pulled from under me near the novel's close. Morgan and Paige manage to balance a good deal of world building, around the coven and how they work with magic, with the novel's mystery, weaving past intrigue with present events to hold a feeling of threat over the witches.

Overall, this novel is the perfect young adult opener and I look forward to recommending it to my students who are looking for something magical with an edge of darkness. Bring on the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Vivi has been on the move with her mother for years, following her from one place to the next while she reads tarot cards for anyone who will believe them, not settling in one place long enough to make friends or feel at home.
When Vivi gets an admission to westerly collage she knows this is her chance to finally start over, get away from her mother’s bogus tarot readings and and set down roots.
What ViVi doesn’t expect when she arrives is to get accepted in to the most exclusive sorority at the collage, Kappa Ro Nu, and to find out that they are a coven of witches, the most powerful coven to exist, The Ravens.

Scarlet is a Raven, one of the best and is hoping to show her worth and follow in her mother and sisters footsteps by become the next Kappa president. Everything seems to be going her way until things from the past seem to creep back to haunt her. Scarlet is assigned Vivi as her little and between them they face the darkness that is the Ravens past.

I really enjoyed the story line of this book, I liked the fact that a coven of modern day witch’s are hiding them self in a sorority, it’s a good take on traditional witch coven.

What I felt didn’t flow well and stood out is that at the start of the book Vivi is so glad to be away from her mother’s ‘magical’ ways, she doesn’t believe in them and then when she finds out that she has powers and that she is in fact a witch she is more than ready to accept it. It feels like there should have been more resistance to this new change or at least more questioning. She adapted to this massive change too fast.

I loved the twist at the end of this book, I thought I had it figured out pretty early on but another twist took me and threw doubt into my theory. I loved how the writing kept me on my toes!

The first in what promises to be an exciting series, exploring witches in the modern era and chucking in a strong dose of college-based life too.
Vivi has always felt different. Used to moving regularly she is fed up of living with her mother and her fascination with tarot cards and predicting the future. Vivi is set to go to college where she can finally be who she wants to be. But what if the things her mother talks about aren’t complete nonsense?
Vivi arrives at her new college and immediately feels out of her depth. Yet she ends up invited to a party at the most exclusive sorority group...and is invited to join them. The girls are known across campus for their poise and strong bond...but what if there were more to this?
What Vivi quickly learns is that the group she has joined are witches. They have power the likes of which you can only imagine-and, of course, Vivi has strength she was unaware of. She has to come to terms with the responsibility this new power brings, and with learning her mother isn’t quite what she thought.
During a tense time it’s clear that someone is desperate to get their hands on a powerful talisman. They’ll stop at nothing to get it, and the girls are all at risk unless they can trust themselves to do the right thing.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this, and I think this sets up for an intriguing series.

The Ravens is the first instalment of a young adult fantasy series of the same name and is the perfect read to curl up with during spooky season. It is told from the alternating perspectives of two students at the prestigious Westerly college in Savannah, Georgia. They are both part of a coven of witches covertly hiding in plain sight disguised as sorority sisters. Vivi is new and hoping to use her move to Westerly as an opportunity to reinvent herself. Sick of being dragged around the country by her eccentric fortune-telling mother, Vivi wants to finally settle down somewhere and make friends. Scarlett is a senior member of the Kappa Rho Nu sorority with her life meticulously planned out in front of her and one main goal – excel at everything in order to impress her mother and sister, both former presidents of Kappa.

Kappa is no ordinary sorority. Rather, it is a convenient front for one of the most influential covens in the world and only the most powerful witches are invited to join its ranks. This year, Vivi is among them (much to her shock) but a series of misunderstandings immediately set her and Scarlett at odds with one another. However, a number of dark events in the sorority’s recent past seem to be coming back to haunt the current crop of witches and the sisters of Kappa Rho Nu are going to need one another’s strength more than ever to overcome the evil they are facing. But are all of them to be trusted?

This is a captivating YA fantasy which moves at a brisk pace and is nicely plotted, however, there is a bit of an infodump at the very beginning in order to set the scene, introduce the characters and impart the backstories, but it is worth continuing if you can manage to get past an issue often associated with the first book in a series. It's a relatively lighthearted, fun and easy read and one that can be devoured in a few short hoursm and what could be more fitting than a tale of witches living among humans this spooky season? Whilst it is predictable from early on in the narrative, I found didn't stop me gaining enjoyment out of it and it did throw up some twists in the tale that I hadn't foreseen. An entertaining and interesting take on the supernatural spellmakers, complete with some pretty solid characterisation. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.

Vivi has led a life of moving around every time her mother decided their current living arrangement wasn’t favoured by the tarot cards, or her gut feeling, but she’s finally off to college to start a new life as, well, whoever she wants to be.

Scarlett is, and has always been, expected to become sorority Kappa Rho Nu’s next president by her family.

The sorority girls, known as The Ravens, are secretly a coven of witches and no-one is more surprised than Vivi when she is offered a place. Things are not going to plan this year though, and secrets, threats and a shadowy figure could spell more danger than the girls realise.

I always struggle slightly with books about sororities, because, living in Australia, I have absolutely no idea what they’re about or understand the appeal of them, but The Ravens managed to keep my interest with its abundance of magic and witchcraft. Reminiscent of The Craft, the magic system is pretty straightforward witchery, with a mashup of tarot and elements being the focus of each girl’s powers. Having such a tried and true way of explaining the magic did make for a relaxing read, because I didn’t feel like I really needed to learn a whole new magic system. It did come across as a tiny bit cheesy at times, but to be fair, it was teenage witches at school, it probably fit the bill. (Are college kids still teenagers? Excuse my ignorance if they’re not, we have a different school system here! If not, the characters in The Raven definitely felt like teenagers) 😅

I enjoyed both Vivi and Scarlett’s characters, and a few of the sorority girls stood out as personalities of their own, notably Mei and Tiffany (although the rest of the girls did have a tendency to blend into the background, as cookie cutter side characters). The mystery seemed quite obvious throughout most of the book, but in the end there was a clever twist, that wrapped the story up nicely (so nicely that I’m not sure why this isn’t going to be a standalone?)

I think this was a fun, engaging way of looking at a modern day witch coven, but, although growing up I loved teenage witch stories, I think I prefer the atmospheric ones set in old times nowadays. This seemed to lack a bit of the spook factor, but was still very entertaining and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a teenage witch style read! The cover is also absolutely stunning!

The Ravens is a bit of a tough book for me to review. I ended up with a 3/5-star rating.

The story takes place in Westerly, a university with a famous sorority. The ladies from Kappa Rho Nu aren't just regular students, but actual, proper witches. Vivi and Scarlett, who couldn't be more different from one another, start off on the wrong foot. But when Scarlett becomes Vivi's Big Sister and has to guide her through her first weeks at the sorority, they have to put their differences aside to survive a much bigger trial than either of them anticipated.

I wanted to love this book so much. I really enjoyed the premise. I love the idea of sisterhood, of modern-day witches, and I'm always a sucker for a university-setting. But it all fell a bit flat. I did enjoy the story itself very much, and definitely the few plot-twists it had (and one or two I definitely didn't see coming). The cast was fun and diverse, though most of the characters felt a little one-dimensional.

I would've loved to see more of the magic itself. The idea of there being four different witches is interesting, but basically got thrown out the window by making all magic available to all witches because of their sisterhood. The romance felt unnecessary and a bit rushed, and I really would've liked to see more of Hell Week. For something with such an ominous name, it really didn't seem that bad.

What threw me off the most was the writing. At some points it felt a bit rushed. Perhaps it was because I read an e-arc, and the final product will be a bit more polished, but it felt a bit like I was reading something from a debut author, which obviously isn't the case. It got better towards the ending of the book, but it did bother me a bit in the beginning.

I really wanted more from this book. The idea is fun, the setting can be great, but it just all felt a bit flat and one-dimensional. I will pick up the second book once it's released (I understood this to be a series), to see where the story will take the Kappa witches.

The concept of this book was interesting. I love covens and witches. Sadly, the rest of the book was too much of the usual Highschool clichee for me. The popular girl who breaks up with her boyfriend who then starts dating the new girl... It was so boring and annoying. If it wasn't for the pretty well concept of magic (although there sadly wasn't enough magic for my taste) I probably would have to list it as a DNF.
Luckily, much unlike the more common American school books Scarlett and Vivian didn't claw out each other's eyes.
All in all it was an okayish read. Not exactly good, but not really bad either.

For me this was a disappointment. I loved the concept - a sorority full of witches? Count me in. The execution wasn't great though, to be completely honest.

The book follows Vivi, a freshman, and Scarlett, a junior, both witches at Westerly College. Vivi doesn't know she's a witch - she grew up moving from place to place, living in crappy apartments with her mother who always moved them on due to 'funny feelings'. Scarlett is the opposite - her mother and older sister were both presidents of The Ravens, and if Scarlett doesn't follow in her footsteps then she'll be a huge disappointment. So you have the innocent sweet girl who is a bit socially awkward with no fashion sense and the mean girl who seems to have it all. That's just the first of the clichés.

One of the things I disliked the most about this book was that it always introduced characters by their skin colour - there's nothing really wrong with this but given Scarlett has deep brown skin her race wasn't exactly explored at all. I don't know, the diversity just felt a little bit token to me.

There's a love triangle as Scarlett's boyfriend Mason takes an interest in Vivi after going travelling for a summer and completely changing his values. Mason is bland. Mason is boring. Mason flirts with Vivi before he's finished things with Scarlett. And honestly given this sorority is all about girls being close and supportive, Vivi flirting back was just not cool.

Anyway, wish I liked this better. For a book set in college it felt very high school. There were some good bits but I don't think I'll be reading more of this series.