Title: The Raven and the Dove (The Raven and the Dove #1)
Author: Kaitlyn Davis
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Release Date: March 9th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings
Synopsis:
Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A princess longing to be free…
On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.
A bastard aching to belong…
Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.
Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…
Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.
Three shocking betrayals. Two star-crossed lovers. One unforgettable journey. If you like fierce heroines, brooding heroes, forbidden romance, and action-packed magical adventures with twists you’ll never see coming, don’t miss The Raven and the Dove!
Purchase Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Books
Apple Books | Book Depository | Kobo
Author Information
Kaitlyn Davis, a bestselling author with over a quarter of a million books sold, writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publisher’s Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com
Sign up for Kaitlyn’s newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of her new releases and more! http://bit.ly/AuthorNewsletter
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram
Excerpt
“Game?” she asked. Her hands had stopped moving. They rested warmly in the hollow groove between his wings, palms half against his feathers and half against his back.
Rafe stole another glance over his shoulder. She was too entranced to see anything but the visions dancing through her head, the visions he’d spun. An almost childlike wonder was alive in her innocent, yearning gaze, igniting a spark in his own chest that he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Not since his parents had died. Not since he’d grown up too soon.
“We like to think of Taetanos as the god of fate, not of death,” Rafe said softly. The glaze in the girl’s eyes disappeared as she looked into his. “We call life a game, because we each have our own wants, our own desires—but he sees everything, he knows everything, and he leads us down our destined path. We fight back sometimes, we make moves, and so does he. On and on it goes until, in the end, he wins, like he always does. But still, we keep playing. What other choice do we have?”
Again, her fingers brushed his feathers, but she didn’t look away.
He couldn’t, even if he’d wanted to.
“What do you think this is?” She paused to swallow. “His move or yours?”
His, he silently answered. Definitely his.
Because Rafe ached to fly, to soar, to get out of the darkness and back to his brother, back to the role he was comfortable playing, back to the sidelines. But there was a weight in his chest keeping him there, keeping him still, keeping him so lost in the fire reflected in her eyes that he couldn’t find his way out even if he tried.
For a moment, he thought he could hear his god laughing.
Then he realized it wasn’t laughter, but the soft whistle of a bird call—a signal he recognized. His move. His life. His brother calling him back.
Xander?
Rafe tensed.
His head whipped to the side, pulled by the noise growing louder, coming not from his imagination but from the other side of the darkness. He opened his mouth to call out in response, when a hand covered his lips and an arm slid around his throat, stronger and more ferocious than he’d expected. Rafe froze as the icy edge of a blade pressed into his skin, instantly recognizing the kiss of steel.
“Be silent,” the girl ordered. “Don’t say a word.”
My Review
This is the first work I’ve read by Kaitlyn Davis and, let me tell you, it won’t be the last. I fell in love with this story and these characters, and it was all phenomenal. This fantasy world is one that many readers will get lost in and wish it was somehow real. The Raven the Dove is truly a story I could read multiple times.
Lyana is quite the main character. I loved how hot tempered she was and how she was not afraid to show her true self through her actions. Her heart was always on display, in the sense that she led more with her heart than her head. She’s strong minded and overall, a fun main character that I could easily connect with; she wasn’t one to take the easy way out and I loved that about her. I did think her relationship with Rafe moved quickly, but it worked in a way that fit well with the storyline. And speaking of Rafe…
Rafe is, what someone would call, a tortured soul. But I honestly connected with his character and his past. He decides to go in his older brother’s place in the courtship trials. Rafe, like others, wants happiness, but not at the expense of his brother. He’s the type that puts family first, which is one of the reason I resonated with his character – family always comes first for me. But overall, I really enjoyed all the characters (especially Xander) and how much each character developed over the story.
The story and plot itself were amazing. I loved the idea of choosing mates and all the fantastical elements (I will read any story with dragons!). The world building is outstanding; I loved how the world was unique from other fantasy books I’ve read. Davis’s writing is beautiful and lush and hooked me from the very beginning. I loved how her words and descriptions flowed off the page so effortlessly. Davis knows how to create a captivating setting with unforgettable characters.
I’m excited for the sequel, mainly because that ending was absolute torture for me and the characters and I can’t wait to see what Davis has in store for these beloved characters next.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Tour Schedule
Check out the amazing book bloggers on this tour:
Giveaway
Prize: Win an Amazon.com $15 Gift Card (INT)
Starts: March 10th 2020
Ends: March 24th 2020
Thank you, Fantastic Flying Book Club, for having us on this wonderful blog tour!
Grand Prize: Win a signed copy of SEVEN DEADLY SHADOWS, a signed copy of Courtney Alameda’s SHUTTER, and a signed copy of Valynne Maetani’s INK AND ASHES; anime portraits of Kira and Shiro; a stuffed fox omamori charm from the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Japan; an origami fox hand-folded by Valynne Maetani; a yokai mini sticker sheet; and an assortment of Japanese Kit Kats (not pictured) [INT]
