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thekibbs101's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
3.0
I love the premise but I don’t think every page should be focused on the same tone/theme. Every page the characters are either sad, scared, dealing with grief or violence. I wish it were more lighthearted and in general I don’t think a book is great if it doesn’t have more balance. There are lighthearted touches of whimsy and magic but it’s 98% about a murder mystery and battling violent creatures. Starting on page 3 every scene talks about the murder, or Colin’s missing brother, or the evil creatures. It needs to be more balanced with lighthearted or just different scenes as well. And a magical inn is what made me want to read the book, that and it seemed perfect for Halloween time because of the book leading up to Halloween. I love the whimsical magical moments like, “The house brings us mugs of hot chocolate and maple sugar cookies while we work, and Max alternates between lying on out books and knocking our pens off the table. A fire springs up in the hearth to ward off the morning chill.” It just seems like such a cozy fun Halloween setting and I just wish it focused less on the murder. Those cozy moments are extremely brief and I just think there needs to be more.
I’m also just not a fan of books less than 300 pages because they usually wrap everything up at the end so quickly and I feel like there just needed to be more to the story I know figuring out how to stop the murderer is important and time sensitive but I don’t think it’s good for every single page of a book to focus on the same theme/conflict and talk about the same thing. I really like the house because it does cozy nice things. Also it surprises me how dark and violent middle grade books are, I would guess and want them to be more lighthearted and not as dark as young adult books. There are descriptions of violence multiple times in here that really surprise me. I don’t like reading violence so I wish that what looks like a nice cozy fall book would just be that. It’s also a strange mix to have cozy mixed with violence and death.
“The air grows crisper, the lawn blanketed with crunchy golden leaves. Wisps dance through the trees and crows gather in the grass and on the branches, scattering with angry caws when Max goes bounding through them.
We drink hot apple cider and sit wrapped in knitted blankets in the library as Roy regales us with stories from Ireland.” I loved parts like this but it would only ever be like 1 or 2 paragraphs or less of this type of writing, sometimes only one sentence and then it would change to the stress of dealing with the evil creatures for pages and pages.
The small instances where they were just sitting drinking cider and having cookies were written so nicely and it makes me want to read a cozy book with much more of that. I would want to read more from the author since she shows this type of writing but it would hopefully be less dark. It was still a good read for fall/spooky season and Halloween. I enjoyed reading the Halloween descriptions and vibes but just didn’t care for the fighting and violence. “The ballroom is in top form tonight. I've never seen Halloween decorations look so elegant. Orange paper lanterns hang from the ceiling among the teardrop lights, and the tables are draped with shimmering cloths. Jack-o'-lanterns with intricate designs sit next to autumn wreaths and red apples.”
I’m also just not a fan of books less than 300 pages because they usually wrap everything up at the end so quickly and I feel like there just needed to be more to the story I know figuring out how to stop the murderer is important and time sensitive but I don’t think it’s good for every single page of a book to focus on the same theme/conflict and talk about the same thing. I really like the house because it does cozy nice things. Also it surprises me how dark and violent middle grade books are, I would guess and want them to be more lighthearted and not as dark as young adult books. There are descriptions of violence multiple times in here that really surprise me. I don’t like reading violence so I wish that what looks like a nice cozy fall book would just be that. It’s also a strange mix to have cozy mixed with violence and death.
“The air grows crisper, the lawn blanketed with crunchy golden leaves. Wisps dance through the trees and crows gather in the grass and on the branches, scattering with angry caws when Max goes bounding through them.
We drink hot apple cider and sit wrapped in knitted blankets in the library as Roy regales us with stories from Ireland.” I loved parts like this but it would only ever be like 1 or 2 paragraphs or less of this type of writing, sometimes only one sentence and then it would change to the stress of dealing with the evil creatures for pages and pages.
The small instances where they were just sitting drinking cider and having cookies were written so nicely and it makes me want to read a cozy book with much more of that. I would want to read more from the author since she shows this type of writing but it would hopefully be less dark. It was still a good read for fall/spooky season and Halloween. I enjoyed reading the Halloween descriptions and vibes but just didn’t care for the fighting and violence. “The ballroom is in top form tonight. I've never seen Halloween decorations look so elegant. Orange paper lanterns hang from the ceiling among the teardrop lights, and the tables are draped with shimmering cloths. Jack-o'-lanterns with intricate designs sit next to autumn wreaths and red apples.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
dandelionsteph's review against another edition
Even at 86 pages, which was plenty to build up the pace and make things riveting, it couldn't deliver. The pacing felt too slow, and its worldbuilding too uninteresting and underdeveloped. It felt sloppy. I wouldn't call it a "cozy mystery", with the confrontation with a violent wraith and the murder of Colin's parents (sort of off-screen before the story starts), but as of Page 86, it seems they've spent a whole chapter mostly being doted on in Anna's grandmother's cozy, mildly quirky magical tea shop - while her Jabberwocky, Max, a catlike guardian of the barrier between worlds, is supposedly badly injured. Sure, Colin is said to be like a magical battery that can help Jabberwockies heal if they're in proximity to them, but they don't seem to be taking Max's wounds as seriously as seemed appropriate from the chapter he seemed injured.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood
eadrianschmitz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a fantastic story. I love the characters and how quickly it jumps into the action. Excited for the next installment!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
imaginingly's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
perfect book to keep me from going into a reading slump. not cringey like a typical middle grade and very easy to read while also being written gorgeously
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
patchthecat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I absolutely loved this book. The way it talks about death and death of parents is amazing. I love the development of the characters and the plot is brilliant. Both so fun and loveable yet just the perfect amount for Halloween. Glad I read this for Halloween, it was perfect for a fantasy lover!
I was so sad with the death of Max, I'm so glad he came back. Happy Colin didn't leave Ravenfall. I didn't expect Gran to have been possessedby a wraith. Love all the Irish references. Anna was great and I felt so sorry for her so much when she felt left out and jealous. Colin has such great development about once hiding all this emotions but then overcoming that and becoming more open about how he feels. Loved Elaine and Roy's sibling relationship, same with Anna and the twin's.
Absolutely loved this book, not my ultimate favourite but definitely fantastic! 100% recommend to fantasy lovers and people looking for something to read for Halloween.
Absolutely loved this book, not my ultimate favourite but definitely fantastic! 100% recommend to fantasy lovers and people looking for something to read for Halloween.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Animal death
christyreads83's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
obscurepages's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Finished this book! 😭 Whimsical and so heartfelt! From the Celtic mythology, to the magic and the world-building, to the characters, and the overall atmosphere–this book aced them all.
Maybe some of the plot were a bit predictable at first? But the last battle near the end still had a few surprises and I love it!
Also, I appreciate how this book had several moral lessons for the reader. 🥹
This magical MG novel is out September 6th!
Read my full review here: https://enthralledbookworm.wordpress.com/2022/08/14/arc-review-ravenfall/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
egj220's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence and Blood